Stress Perception and Social Indicators for Low Back, Shoulder and Joint Pains in Japan: National Surveys in 1995 and 2001
TAKEAKI TAKEUCHI,1 MUTSUHIRO NAKAO,1,2 MARIKO NISHIKITANI and EIJI YANO2
Department of Hygiene and Public Health, Teikyo University School of Medicine, Tokyo 173-8605, 1Department of Psychosomatic Medicine, Teikyo University Hospital, Tokyo 173-8605, and 2Research Center for Evidence Based Medicine, Teikyo University School of Medicine, Tokyo 173-8605
This study aims to clarify the effects of stress perception and related social indicators on three major musculoskeletal symptoms: low back, shoulder, and joint pains in a Japanese population. Twenty health-related variables (stress perception and 19 social indicators) and the three symptoms were obtained from the following Japanese national surveys: the Comprehensive Survey of Living Condition of the People on Health and Welfare, the System of Social and Demographic Statistics of Japan, and the Statistical Report on Health Administration Services. The results were compared among 46 Japanese prefectures in 1995 and 2001. By factor analysis, the 19 indicators were classified into three factors of urbanization, aging and life-regularity, and individualization. The prevalence of stress perception was significantly correlated to the 8 indicators of urbanization factor. Although simple correlation analysis revealed a significant relationship of stress perception only to shoulder pain (in both years) and low back pain (in 2001), the results of multiple regression analysis showed that stress perception and some urbanization factors were significantly associated with all the three symptoms in both years exclusive of joint pain in 1995. Taking the effects of urbanization into consideration, stress perception seems to be closely related to the complaints of musculoskeletal symptoms in Japan.
keywords —— social indicators; musculoskeletal pain; urbanization; stress
© 2004 Tohoku University Medical Press
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Tohoku J. Exp. Med., 2004, 203, 195-204
Address for reprints: Eiji Yano, M.D., M.P.H., Ph.D., Chief Professor of Public Health, Department of Hygiene and Public Health, Teikyo University School of Medicine, 2-11-1, Kaga, Itabashi, Tokyo 173-8605, Japan.
e-mail: eyano@med.teikyo-u.ac.jp