• Subas Neupane, Kristina Karstad, David M Hallman, Reiner Rugulies, and Andreas Holtermann.
• Unit of Health Sciences, Faculty of Social Sciences, Tampere University, 33014, Tampere, Finland. subas.neupane@tuni.fi.
• Int Arch Occup Environ Health. 2020 Apr 1; 93 (3): 381-389.

PurposeTo explore the prospective association of objectively measured and self-reported occupational physical activity (OPA) with multisite musculoskeletal pain (MSP) among Danish eldercare workers.MethodsThe study population consisted of eldercare workers in 20 Danish nursing homes (N = 553, response rate 59%, 525 female). Baseline data were collected in 2013-2014 and the 1-year follow-up was completed in 2016. At baseline, we measured objective OPA by a thigh-worn ActiGraph GT3X + accelerometer during work and self-reported OPA by a questionnaire survey. Information on musculoskeletal pain during the past four weeks in seven different body sites was reported by a structured questionnaire at baseline (n = 389) and by SMS and telephone interview during follow-up (n = 284). MSP was defined as having pain in two or more body sites. Using log-binomial models we calculated risk ratios (RRs) with their 95% confidence intervals (CIs) to estimate the association between objectively measured and self-reported OPA and MSP.ResultsWe found statistically significant positive associations between self-reported OPA (RR for high OPA 1.24, 95% CI 1.05-1.46) and MSP while there was no significant association found between objective OPA and MSP.ConclusionOur study indicates that self-reported, but not objectively measured OPA is positively associated with MSP. This finding highlights the need for better understanding, use, and interpretation of self-reported and objectively measured OPA in the study of MSP.

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