OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the combined demand-control-support (DCS)
and effort-reward-overcommitment (ERI-OC) stress models in association with
sickness absence due to low back symptoms (SA-LBS).
METHODS: A total of 2,737 blue-collar workers recruited from 13
companies in the most populous province (Henan) of China were included in
the study. Personal and physical job characteristics, psychosocial scales of
the stress models, and SA-LBS data in the preceding year were collected by a
self-reported questionnaire and analyzed by a multivariable logistic
regression model. Tertile exposure levels (low, medium and high) were
constructed to discriminate a risk level. Odds ratios (OR) with 95%
confidence intervals (CI) were used as the association with SA-LBS.
RESULTS: A large percentage (84.5%) of the Chinese workers did
not take sick leave after reporting low back symptoms during the preceding
year. High job demand or medium-high reward was associated with
SA-LBS. The association of the combined stress models and SA-LBS was not
evident.
CONCLUSIONS: The ERI-OC model appeared to be more predictive of
SA-LBS than the DCS model in the study population. The advantage of using
combined stress models for predicting SA-LBS is not evident.
