Background: The Örebro Musculoskeletal Pain Screening Questionnaire (ÖMPSQ) was developed to identify patients at risk of developing work disability due to pain. So far, neither the ÖMPSQ or its short version (ÖMSPQ-short) have been tested in population-based samples.
Aim: We examined the associations between several well-known determinants for chronic pain and ÖMPSQ-Short Score.
Design: Cross-sectional study.
Setting: All measurements and tests were made at the University of Oulu.
Population: Subjects belonging to the Northern Finland Birth Cohort 1966 answered a questionnaire at the age of 46 years (N.=5637).
Methods: The questionnaire included the ÖMPSQ-short as well as questions about smoking, education, location, number of pain sites, and physical activity. In addition, body weight and height were measured in order to calculate the Body Mass Index.
Results: In multivariate logistic regression analysis, reporting 4-5 pain sites (females OR 3.4; males 3.0), ≥6 pain sites (females OR 12.4; males 7.4) and current smoking (females 1.8; males 2.6) were associated with being classified into the ÖMPSQ high risk group. In females, also obesity (OR 1.6) and less than 9 years of education (2.7) were associated with higher ÖMPSQ Score. The frequency of physical activity was not associated with the ÖMPSQ Score.
Conclusions: High number of pain sites and smoking among both genders, and obesity and low education level among females is associated with higher ÖMPSQ scores. Therefore, the ÖMPSQ-short may be a working instrument for also screening the general population.
Clinical rehabilitation impact: Results of this study may improve the detection of patients at high risk of developing work disability due to pain.