Authors
Sunjin Jung, Seunghyeon Cho, Suwhan Kim, Kyung Wook Kang, JiHwan Kim, Won-Ju Park
Published in
Annals of occupational and environmental medicine. Volume 38. Pages e15. Epub May 12, 2026.
Abstract
Low back pain (LBP) is highly prevalent among industrial workers, and obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) has been increasingly recognized as a factor influencing pain modulation. This study evaluated the association between OSA risk, assessed by the STOP-Bang questionnaire, and LBP among shift workers in a tire manufacturing factory.
A total of 976 male shift workers from a tire manufacturing factory were analyzed. OSA risk was assessed using the STOP-Bang questionnaire and classified as low, moderate, or high. LBP and musculoskeletal pain were defined as self-reported symptoms occurring within the preceding 6 months. Multivariable logistic regression analyses were performed to estimate odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs).
Compared with workers at low OSA risk, those at moderate and high risk had significantly higher odds of LBP (OR: 1.50; 95% CI: 1.02-2.20; p = 0.038; and OR: 1.75; 95% CI: 1.20-2.55; p = 0.004, respectively). Similarly, moderate and high OSA risk were independently associated with increased odds of musculoskeletal pain (OR: 1.86; 95% CI: 1.26-2.73; p = 0.002; and OR: 1.84; 95% CI: 1.26-2.68; p = 0.002, respectively).
Among male shift workers, elevated OSA risk is independently associated with a higher prevalence of LBP and musculoskeletal pain. Systematic workplace screening for OSA risk using the STOP-Bang questionnaire may support occupational health assessments by identifying shift workers with elevated OSA risk who are more likely to report pain-related morbidity.
PMID:
42339536
Bibliographic data and abstract were imported from PubMed on 24 Jun 2026.
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