Pain, unhealthy days and poor perceived health among Japanese workers

OBJECTIVES: The current research aimed to study the relationship between health‐related quality of life (poor perceived health/unhealthy days) and workers' pain. METHODS: This cross‐sectional study was conducted among 1360 Japanese workers of a Japanese company in Kyushu. Health‐related quality of life was measured by HRQOL‐4 tool developed by Centers for Disease Control and Prevention of the USA. Pain was assessed by numeric rating scale with 0‐10 points. Regression analysis was conducted to identify the relationship between health‐related quality of life and pain. RESULTS: Participants who reported pain had significantly greater odds of having poor health compared to those with no pain (AOR = 3.99, 95% CI = 3.82‐4.18, P < .0001). In general, participants who had a higher frequency and intensity of pain had significantly greater odds of having poor health compared to those with no pain. Compared to those with no pain, participants with pain had an average of 2.85 (95% CI = 2.07‐3.63, P < .0001), 2.25 (95% CI = 1.52‐2.99, P < .0001), 4.41 (95% CI = 3.39‐5, P < .0001), and 1.9 (95% CI = 1.30‐2.50, P < .0001) more physically unhealthy days, mentally unhealthy days, total unhealthy days, and days with activity limitation, respectively. Headache causes many more unhealthy days and more poor health than any other pain, including back pain, shoulder/neck pain, and joint pain. CONCLUSION: Poor health status and the number of unhealthy days among Japanese workers are strongly associated with the presence of pain and increases with the intensity and frequency of pain.