Fear-Avoidance Behavior and Sickness Absence in Patients with Work-Related Musculoskeletal Disorders

• Main Authors: Israel Macías-Toronjo, José L. Sánchez-Ramos, María J. Rojas-Ocaña, Esperanza Begoña García-Navarro
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: MDPI AG 2020-11-01
• Series: Medicina
• Subjects: avoidance learning; neck pain; workplace; employment; fear; exercise
• Online Access: https://www.mdpi.com/1010-660X/56/12/646

(1) <i>Background and objectives</i>: The purpose of this work is to determine the association of fear-avoidance attitudes with sickness absence status, its duration and disability in a work accident context. (2) <i>Materials and Methods:</i> This is a descriptive observational design, conducting the study in two occupational insurance provider clinics with patients with nonspecific low back and neck pain during the study period. Clinical variables were the Fear Avoidance Questionnaire, Roland Morris Disability Questionnaire, Neck Disability Index, Numerical Pain Scale; sociodemographic variables were sex, age, occupational, educational level, sickness absence status, and duration in days of absence from work. Multiple logistic and linear regressions were used to explore the association between variables. (3) <i>Results:</i> Fear-avoidance behavior is related to sickness absence status (OR = 1.048, <i>p =</i> 0.007), and the physical activity dimension (OR = 1.098, <i>p</i> = 0.013) is more relevant than the work dimension (OR = 1.056, <i>p =</i> 0.028). The duration of sickness absence is related to higher values on the fear-avoidance behavior scale in its global dimension (b = 0.84, <i>p</i> = 0.003, r = 0.327), and the results of the physical activity dimension (B = 1.37, <i>p</i> = 0.035, r = 0.236) were more relevant than the work dimension (B = 1.21, <i>p</i> = 0.003, r = 0.324). Fear-avoidance behavior is related to disability in both dimensions (B = 0.912, <i>p</i> ˂ 0.001, r = 0.505). (4) <i>Conclusions</i>: Fear-avoidance behaviors may influence the typification of sickness absence status, its duration both in its physical activity and work dimension, and its disability reported with higher values than in other healthcare contexts.