151. Low-back pain disorders as occupational diseases in the Czech Republic and 22 European Countries: Comparison of national systems, related diagnoses and evaluation criteria
- Author
-
Marie Nakládalová, Tomáš Lebeda, Edvard Ehler, Daniela Pelclova, Igor Bátora, Zdenka Fenclova, P. Paul F. M. Kuijer, Lode Godderis, Stefan M Scholz-Odermatt, Manuela Vaněčková, Elisaveta Stikova, Giuseppe Campo, Vincent Bonneterre, Jana Hlávková, Petr Ridzoň, Alena Boriková, Petr Gad'ourek, Ola Leijon, Horatiu Moldovan, Pavel Urban, Andrea Laštovková, APH - Amsterdam Public Health, Coronel Institute of Occupational Health, Environnement et Prédiction de la Santé des Populations (TIMC-IMAG-EPSP), Techniques de l'Ingénierie Médicale et de la Complexité - Informatique, Mathématiques et Applications, Grenoble - UMR 5525 (TIMC-IMAG), VetAgro Sup - Institut national d'enseignement supérieur et de recherche en alimentation, santé animale, sciences agronomiques et de l'environnement (VAS)-Institut polytechnique de Grenoble - Grenoble Institute of Technology (Grenoble INP )-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Université Joseph Fourier - Grenoble 1 (UJF)-VetAgro Sup - Institut national d'enseignement supérieur et de recherche en alimentation, santé animale, sciences agronomiques et de l'environnement (VAS)-Institut polytechnique de Grenoble - Grenoble Institute of Technology (Grenoble INP )-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Université Joseph Fourier - Grenoble 1 (UJF), and Centre Hospitalier Universitaire [Grenoble] (CHU)
- Subjects
Czech ,medicine.medical_specialty ,Lifting ,[SDV]Life Sciences [q-bio] ,Occupational disease ,MEDLINE ,Vibration ,Job Satisfaction ,03 medical and health sciences ,Disability Evaluation ,0302 clinical medicine ,Epidemiology ,medicine ,Humans ,030212 general & internal medicine ,Occupations ,10. No inequality ,Czech Republic ,Pension ,business.industry ,Incidence ,Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health ,Age Factors ,General Medicine ,medicine.disease ,030210 environmental & occupational health ,language.human_language ,3. Good health ,Europe ,Occupational Diseases ,Family medicine ,Population Surveillance ,8. Economic growth ,Sick leave ,Physical therapy ,language ,Job satisfaction ,Sick Leave ,business ,Inclusion (education) ,Low Back Pain - Abstract
International audience; Aim: Low-back pain diseases (LBPD) belong to the most frequent diagnoses determined by general practitioners, and constitute one of the most common reasons for sick leave and permanent disability pension in the Czech Republic and other European countries. Epidemiological studies have shown a statistically significant association between LBPD and certain types of occupational burden. However, in the Czech Republic, LBPD caused by overload and/or whole-body vibrations have not yet been included in the list of occupational diseases. The aim of this study was to collect and compare the systems, criteria and diagnoses used to recognize LBPD as occupational diseases in other European countries.Methods: A questionnaire focused on LBPD was distributed and answered by specialists in occupational diseases in European countries. It included items concerning LBPD in the national list of occupational diseases, and work-related and diagnostic criteria that need to be fulfilled for recognizing LBPD as occupational diseases and possible awarding compensations to the patients.Results: In 13 countries out of the 23 countries studied, LBPD caused by overload can be recognized as occupational, providing that the diagnosis is sufficiently proven and exposure criteria and/or listed occupation are met and duration of exposure is confirmed (Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Lithuania, Macedonia, Netherlands, Romania, Slovakia, Sweden, and Switzerland). LBPD due to vibrations can be also recognized as occupational in 14 countries. In 8 countries LBPD are not accepted as occupational unless they are caused by an injury at work. Specific criteria to evaluate occupational exposure of patients with LBPD were set in Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, Lithuania, Macedonia, Netherlands, and Slovakia. In other countries, the evaluation is done at an individual basis.Conclusions: In practice, the assessment of occupational overload and its contribution to the development of LBPD as well as its inclusion in the compensation system are important for several reasons. Firstly, it may be considered essentially preventable. Secondly, cases with a significant contribution of occupational aetiology may be viewed as occupational diseases for which compensation may be claimed, as it is the case in many European countries. Importantly, inclusion of LBPD in the list of occupational diseases or another system of compensation may be viewed as a preventive measure as it increases the visibility of this problem not only for the workers, but especially for the employers.