| Denmark | General workers sample | Prospective cohort with a 2 year follow up | Psychosocial risk factors for musculoskeletal symptoms within workers | Presence of pain in previous 12 months + absence from work | Danish National institute of Occupational health Questionnaire—CWS and SS | Low SS not a risk for LBP CWS as a non-significant risk factor for LBP | HR 1.1 (0.8–1.6) HR 1.1 (0.8–1.6) |
| Belgium | General workers sample | Prospective cohort over 6 years | The impact of psychosocial factors on LBP | Nordic questionnaire >8 days in previous 12 months | Karasek Demand Control model—GWS | Low GWS increased risk of LBP in men No association between GWS and risk in women | RR 1.2 (1.02–1.42) RR 1.00 (0.8–1.24) |
| Canada | Consulters for LBP who have been absent from work for at least 1 day | Prospective BL, 6 week, 12 week, 1 year and 2 year follow ups | RTW for those with LBP | RMDQ, pain levels, fear avoidance | Work APGAR | No significant role for GWS on RTW | OR 4.76 (0.43, 52.13) |
| Switzerland | Workers (unspecified) | Prospective cohort over 5 years | Social support at work and risk of LBP | Nordic questionnaire, pain frequency and intensity, RMDQ, McGill Questionnaire | General questions on support in employment | No significant association between low GWS and LBP | N/S |
| USA | Military personnel | Case control | Workplace psychosocial factors associated with sickness absence due to LBP | Self report LBP symptoms, NIOSH survey. One episode of LBP in past 12 months resulting in an episode of sickness absence | Work environment scale (inclusive of one question on GWS) | Participants with low GWS were at higher odds of getting LBP | OR 1.22 (1.05, 1.36) |
| New Zealand | Workers claiming compensation | Prospective cohort 3 months | Risk factors associated with transition from acute to chronic LBP status | Work-related back injury codes on claim files and the Owestry disability index | Work APGAR—7 questions on perception of support at work (GWS) | Perceived levels of GWS support at work did not predict transition from acute to chronic status and was not included in the final multivariable model | N/S |
| Iran | Industrial workers | Prospective 1 year study | Psychosocial factors predictive of risk of LBP in workers | MUSIC measure—assesses the presence of aches and pain in lower back | GWS measure (unspecified) | No significant associations found for GWS and LBP | OR 0.5 (0.3, 1.0) |
| Netherlands | Industrial workers | Prospective cohort 18 months | Risk and recovery from LBP in a work setting | Current pain intensity (NRS) pain radiation | Karasek Demand Control model—GWS | No significant associations found for GWS and risk of LBP No significant associations found for GWS and short term recovery No associations found for long term recovery | OR 1.19 (0.98, 1.44) OR 0.88 (0.72, 1.07) OR 0.97 (0.87, 1.07) |
| Denmark | Nursing personnel | Prospective cohort 6 months | Impact of psychosocial factors on LBP | Presence of LBP, pain intensity and pain over 3 months | Questions on the frequency of GWS | There was no association between GWS and LBP | OR 1.7 (0.7, 4.3) |
| UK | General workers sample | Prospective 1 year and 2 year study | Risk factors for new onset LBP in workers | Back pain presence in the past month for 1 day or longer | Karasek Demand Control model—GSW | No significant association found for GWS and risk of LBP | OR 1.4 (0.5–3.7) |
| Netherlands | Military personnel | Prospective 6 months | Prognostic factors for clinical improvement for those with LBP | 4 weeks of recurring LBP at least 3 times per week | Karasek Demand Control model—CWS and SS | No significant association of CWS and disability related to LBP No significant association of SS and disability | OR 0.88 (0.64, 1.21) OR 1.07 (0.82, 1.09) |
| Netherlands | General workers sample | Prospective 1 year study | Beliefs and expectations of those with LBP about RTW | Presence of LBP, RMDQ and RTW status | Karasek Demand Control model—GWS | Increased GWS was shown to increase RTW status for those with back pain | HR 1.04 (1.0, 1.08) |
Hoogendoorn et al. ( 2001) | Netherlands | General workers sample | Prospective 3 year study | Psychosocial work factors and LBP | Nordic questionnaire. Regular or prolonged back pain in previous 12 months | Karasek Demand Control model—SS and CWS | There was no significant association between SS and risk of LBP There was no significant association between levels of CWS and risk of LBP | RR 1.30 (0.75, 2.26) RR 1.59 (0.89, 2.86) |
Ijzelenberg and Burdorf ( 2005) | Denmark | Industrial workers | Prospective 6 month study | Work-related psychosocial factors and risk of MSK | Nordic questionnaire. MSK pain within previous 12 months (BL) and previous 6 months (FU) | Karasek Demand Control model—SS and CWS | Less SS was associated with increased risk of LBP Less CWS was not associated with increased risk of LBP | OR 2.06 (1.35, 3.14) OR 1.52 (0.97, 2.38) |
Josephson and Vingard ( 1998) | USA | Nursing personnel | Case control | Workplace factors as risk for LBP in female nursing cohort | Clinical examination and referral for treatment for LBP | 2 interview questions and 6 items within questionnaire on GWS | No significant association between low GWS and increased risk of LBP | OR 2.4 (0.9, 6.4) |
Kaila-Kangas et al. ( 2004) | Finland | Metal industry workers (blue and white collar) | Prospective design linked to hospitalisation records 28 years | ICD codes for hospitalisation for back disorder | ICD codes | Karasek Demand Control model—SS and CWS | Significant association found for SS No significant association found for CWS | RR 3.28 (1.32–8.17) RR 1.08 (0.46–2.54) |
| Sweden | Random population | Prospective cohort 2 years | Psychosocial factors related to sickness absence | Presence of LBP in past 5 years | Karasek Demand Control model with general question on support at work - GWS | No significant effect for general social support at work and sickness absence due to LBP | RR/OR 0.97 (0.088, 1.07) |
| Canada | Industrial workers | Case control | Psychosocial factors associated with LBP | Biomechanical assessment | Karasek Demand Control model—CWS | Higher levels of CWS increased risk of LBP | OR 1.6 (1.07, 2.32) |
| USA | Transit operators | Prospective cohort 5 year study | Work-related risk factors of back injury | Compensation claims for back injury | Karasek Demand Control model—SS and CWS | No significant association found for CWS and spinal injury Non-significant trend reported for lower SS and risk of spinal injury | OR 1.00 (0.75, 1.35) OR 1.30 (0.99, 1.72) |
| Sweden | Female human service workers | Prospective cohort 18 month study | Impact of the demand control model on neck, shoulder and back pain in workers | Nordic questionnaire (MSK) | Karasek Demand Control model - GWS | No significant association found for GWS and back pain | OR 1.37 (0.97, 1.92) |
Leino and Hanninen ( 1995) | Finland | General workers sample | Prospective cohort 10 year study | Psychosocial work factors and back pain | Presence of pain symptoms within previous 12 months | 6 questions on social relationships at work | Significant association found between lower GWS support at work and greater risk of LBP | Beta (0.146), p = 0.001 |
Lotters and Burdorf ( 2006) | Netherlands | Workers registered on an occupational health register | Prospective cohort 1 year | Prognostic factors of sickness absence due to MSK | Consultation registry Nordic and RMDQ | Karasek Demand Control model—GWS | No significant effect for relation with colleagues and sickness absence in those with LBP | HR 1.05 (0.86–1.28) |
| USA | General workers sample | Prospective 8 week study | Work-related psychosocial factors associated with LBP | Biomechanical assessment | Work APGAR—7 questions on CWS and SS | No association between levels of SS and recovery There was an increase in recovery rates for those with higher levels of CWS | RR 0.71 (0.34, 1.48) RR 1.55 (1.04, 2.34) |
| Norway | Industrial workers | Prospective 2 year study | Long and short term sickness absence due to pain and LBP | Nordic questionnaire for presence of pain in previous 12 months | Karasek Demand Control model—GWS | No association between GWS and LBP for long term sickness absence Significant association found between low levels of GWS and increased short term sickness absence | RR 1.0 (0.8, 1.3) RR 1.28 (1.11, 1.49) |
Rugulies and Krause ( 2005) | USA | Transit operators | Prospective cohort 7.5 year study | Job strain and incidence of LBP and neck pain | Worker compensation claims and ICD coding for back and neck disorders | Karasek Demand Control model—SS and CWS | No associations found for CWS with LBP No associations found for SS with LBP | HR 1.00 (0.78, 1.29) HR 1.02 (0.77, 1.34) |
| Canada | General workers sample (compensation claimants) | Prospective cohort study 3 month | Psychosocial factors predictive of LBP disability and RTW status | McGill pain questionnaire CPG | Karasek Demand Control model—CWS | Low levels of CWS predicted quicker RTW status | Beta 0.2, p = 0.079 |
| Canada | Hospital workers | Prospective cohort 3 year study | Predictors of changes in MSK health | Presence and pain level of back pain in previous week | 10 item measure of emotional and instrumental support at work GWS | GWS did not remain as a predictive factor of MSK status | N/S |
| Canada | General workers sample (compensation claimants) | Prospective cohort study 6 month | Work-related factors contributing to chronic disability in those with LBP | Pain intensity and RMDQ | 8 item questionnaire on work social support GWS | Low GWS increased risk of chronic disability | OR 1.11 (1.02, 1.22) |
| Canada | Industrial workers | Prospective cohort 2 year study | Risk of LBP | Self rate question on presence of LBP in previous 6 months. Mechanical lifting test | 1 question on having a confidante at work GWS | Absence of confidante at work increased risk of LBP | Beta 0.27, OR 1.7, p = 0.039 |
| France | Industrial workers | Prospective cohort 4 year study | Risk factors for sickness absence due to LBP | Nordic questionnaire for LBP | Karasek Demand Control model—GWS | Lower levels of GWS were shown to significantly increase sickness long term absence (> 8 days) There was no association between GWS and shorter term sickness absence | OR 3.4 (1.6, 7.3) OR 1.4 (0.9, 2.3). |
van den Heuvel et al. ( 2004) | Netherlands | General workers sample | Prospective cohort 3 year | Sickness absence due to LBP | Nordic questionnaire, presence in previous 12 months, pain intensity and RMDQ | Karasek Demand Control model—SS and CWS | Significant effect found for low CWS and increased sickness absence No significant effect found for SS and sickness absence | OR 4.08 (1.59–10.05) OR 2.69 (0.85–8.44) |
van der Giezen et al. ( 2000) | Netherlands | General workers | Prospective cohort 12 month study | Precdictors of RTW status for those sick listed (>90 days) due to LBP | ICD codes for back pain disorder and pain manikin | Karasek Demand Control model—GWS | Greater levels of GWS predicted a quicker RTW status | OR 1.16 (1.03, 1.30) |