Epidemiology of Pain in Canadian Alcohol Service Workers: Risk Factors for Chronic Pain

Background : Alcohol service workers face many unique work-related stressors that may increase their risk of chronic pain of chronic pain. To date, there are no comprehensive analyses that study chronic pain in this population. Therefore, the objective of this study was to examine the relationship between several personal and work-related variables on the odds of reporting chronic pain in alcohol service workers. Methods : The data for this study came from a cross-sectional survey of alcohol service workers that included the Nordic Musculoskeletal Questionnaire (NMQ) and several components of the Copenhagen Psychosocial Questionnaire (COPSOQ). A multivariable logistic regression model was fitted to investigate the associations between the odds of a chronic pain in alcohol service workers and the following variables: personal characteristics (gender identity, age, body mass index, self-rated health, burnout, and depressive symptoms), lifestyle factors (cardiovascular training, resistance training, cannabis use, high-risk drinking, and tobacco use), and work characteristics (job title, work type, emotional demands of work, work pace, and hours worked). Results : There were significantly higher odds of chronic pain with increased age, cannabis use, burnout, and emotionally demanding work. There were significantly lower odds of chronic pain among individuals who rated their health better and among individuals who frequently engaged in resistance training. Approximately half of the population reported chronic pain. Conclusion : This study highlights that good physical and mental health are likely protective against chronic pain in alcohol service workers, and individuals can likely improve their resilience to the difficult work environment by focusing on exercise, reducing substance use, and trying to reduce both work-related and personal stress. This study may increase awareness to the public, public health, and alcohol service communities of the effects of alcohol service work on chronic pain and may be used to educate those involved in this industry.