Table 3 Associations of workload and health-related factors with recurrent pain among the Helsinki Health Study participants (n = 3245). Results from the multinomial logistic regression analyses; odds ratios (OR) and their 95% confidence intervals (CI) are shown. “No pain” at both phases 1 (2017) and 2 (2022) was used as a reference group

OR (95% CI)

OR (95% CI)

Physical workload

 Light

1

1

1

1

1

1

 Medium

1.16 (0.90─1.49)

1.21 (0.93─1.56)

1.42 (1.12─1.80)

1.04 (0.81─1.35)

1.15 (0.89─1.50)

1.19 (0.93─1.53)

 Heavy

1.38 (1.05─1.81)

1.40 (1.06─1.86)

2.22 (1.73─2.86)

1.08 (0.81─1.46)

1.23 (0.91─1.67)

1.49 (1.13─1.96)

Mental workload

 Light

1

1

1

1

1

1

 Medium

1.36 (1.06─1.75)

0.93 (0.73─1.17)

1.32 (1.05─1.65)

1.40 (1.09─1.81)

0.92 (0.73─1.18)

1.35 (1.06─1.70)

 Heavy

1.78 (1.28─2.46)

1.14 (0.82─1.58)

2.62 (1.97─3.48)

1.81 (1.29─2.52)

1.10 (0.79─1.54)

2.57 (1.91─3.46)

Smoking

 Non-smoker

1

1

1

1

1

1

 Smoker

1.23 (0.97─1.57)

1.21 (0.94─1.54)

1.46 (1.19─1.81)

1.11 (0.86─1.42)

1.12 (0.87─1.44)

1.18 (0.95─1.48)

Alcohol consumption

 < weekly

1

1

1

1

1

1

 ≥ weekly

0.96 (0.77─1.20)

0.99 (0.79─1.24)

0.84 (0.69─1.02)

1.03 (0.82─1.29)

1.07 (0.85─1.34)

0.98 (0.80─1.21)

Vegetable consumption

 ≥ daily

1

1

1

1

1

1

 < daily

1.23 (0.99─1.53)

1.00 (0.79─1.26)

1.56 (1.28─1.89)

1.15 (0.92─1.44)

0.93 (0.73─1.17)

1.35 (1.10─1.66)

Obesity

 No

1

1

1

1

1

1

 Yes

1.47 (1.11─1.96)

1.30 (0.97─1.76)

2.19 (1.72─2.79)

1.34 (1.00─1.79)

1.22 (0.90─1.65)

1.82 (1.42─2.34)

Average sleep

 7–8 h

1

1

1

1

1

1

 < 7 h

1.51 (1.17─1.94)

1.42 (1.09─1.84)

2.31 (1.86─2.87)

1.36 (1.05─1.76)

1.34 (1.03─1.75)

1.87 (1.49─2.34)

 > 8 h

1.34 (0.95─1.90)

1.50 (1.06─2.12)

1.82 (1.34─2.47)

1.33 (0.94─1.90)

1.50 (1.06─2.13)

1.77 (1.30─2.42)