Predictors of working after 12 years among women with chronic widespread pain

Sofia Juhlin, Kaisa Mannerkorpi, Lena Nordeman, Anna Bergenheim
Purpose:

To investigate changes in work status among women with CWP after 12 years and to investigate possible predictors of working.

Methods:

In this study, 166 women with CWP, recruited from primary healthcare in Sweden, were invited to participate in a 12-year follow-up. Ninety-eight women of working age agreed to participate, with a mean age of 42 years and a mean duration of widespread pain of 10 years at baseline. The women were examined through physical function tests and questionnaires evaluating symptoms common in CWP.

Changes in work status and predictors of working after 12 years were analysed. 

Results:

At baseline, 42 (43%) women were working, compared to 62 (63%) women at follow-up (p=0.002).

Baseline variables found to be associated with the dependent variable "Working at follow-up" were included in a multivariable logistic regression analysis. The results showed that having less clinical symptoms of stress at baseline, evaluated by the Stress and Crises Inventory (SCI-93), was the strongest predictor of working 12 years later in women with CWP. The SCI-93 consists of 35 items rated on a 0–4 Likert scale. The total score ranges from 0 to 140, with higher scores indicating greater severity of stress symptoms.

The probability to be working at follow-up was calculated for each quartile of the SCI-93 scores. The probability was 0.92 for participants scoring in the first quartile (score 58), 0.65 in the second quartile (score 58-74), 0.63 in the third quartile (score 75-95) and 0.40 in the fourth quartile (score >95).

Conclusion(s):

Significantly more women were working after 12 years. Women with less symptoms of stress at baseline were found to have a higher chance of working 12 years later. The probability to be working after 12 years was 92% for participants with an SCI-93 score of 58 at baseline and 40% for those with a score of >95.

Implications:

In the present study, more women worked at the follow-up compared to 12 years earlier, indicating a positive trend that can be communicated to patients in clinical settings. The results also suggest that clinical stress symptoms are an important factor to consider when planning rehabilitation, and that stress-reducing activities could be included in the rehabilitation for patients with CWP. This information can guide physiotherapists and other healthcare professionals in their clinical practice.

Funding acknowledgements:
The study was funded by The Operational Healthcare Committee, Region Västra Götaland, Sweden.
Keywords:
Chronic pain
Longitudinal
Work
Primary topic:
Pain and pain management
Second topic:
Primary health care
Did this work require ethics approval?:
Yes
Name the institution and ethics committee that approved your work:
The Regional ethical review board in Gothenburg, University of Gothenburg.
Provide the ethics approval number:
No 097–16.
Has any of this material been/due to be published or presented at another national or international conference prior to the World Physiotherapy Congress 2025?:
No

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