Work factors related to stress and recurrent low back pain among Finnish planners and workers

Factors related both to the experience of prolonged stress and to recurrent low back pain were analysed by means of questionnaire responses of planners (n = 146) and workers (n = 315) in the Finnish metal industry. Job factors and overall satisfaction turned out to be related independently to stress in both groups. The strongest relation was found between stress and organizational job characteristics. Among the workers physical exhaustion and defects in ergonomy were also related to the experience of stress. Factors related to low back pain were mainly physical in origin, although organizational factors also made some contribution to such pain.