Trends in Work-Related Musculoskeletal Disorders From the 2002 to 2014 General Social Survey, Quality of Work Life Supplement.

Objective: To update trends in prevalence of back and upper limb musculoskeletal symptoms and risk factors from the 2014 Quality of Work Life (QWL) Survey.

Methods: Quadrennial QWL Surveys, 2002 to 2014 (with N = 1455, 1537, 1019, and 1124 in 2002, 2006, 2010, and 2014 surveys respectively) were analyzed for reports of back pain and pain in arms.

Results: In the fourth analysis of this survey, 12-year trends continue to show a decline in back pain and pain in arms. Key physical (heavy lifting, hand movements, very hard physical effort) and psychosocial/work organizational factors (low supervisor support, work is always stressful, not enough time to get work done) remain associated with back and arm pain, with the physical risk factors showing the strongest associations.

Conclusion: Physical exposure risk factors continue to be strongly associated with low back and arm pain and should be the focus of intervention strategies.