Social Network, Social Support and the Prevalence of Neck and Low Back Pain after Retirement

Abstract

In this study we investigated the importance of social network and social support systems outside the workplace and workload and psyshological job strain in former work for the prevalence of daily neck and low back pain. The study population ( n = 621) comprised a random half of all male residents in Malmö, Sweden, born in 1914, of whom 500 (80.5%) participated. Two of the social network and social support indices (social anchorage and availability of material and informational support) were independent of life-style factors (leisure time physical activity, smoking and alcohol consumption) related to daily neck and back pain after retirement (OR = 2.0, 95% CI 1.2–3.4 and OR = 1.7, 95% CI 1.0–2.7, respectively), while the psycho-social and physical factors in former work were not. As no conclusion about the direction of the association can be drawn, prospective studies are needed to further explore these findings.