Economic burden of musculoskeletal pain in Danish senior workers: a working-life expectancy approach

BACKGROUND: Musculoskeletal pain (MSP) is a major occupational health challenge and a leading cause of disability and economic burden worldwide. However, prospective evidence on how pain intensity across multiple body regions affects long-term labour market participation and production losses remains limited. This study quantifies working-life expectancy (WLE) and working years lost (WYL) associated with multisite MSP among senior workers and introduces a novel method to estimate its related economic burden.

METHODS: The study includes 23 071 Danish employees aged 50-66 years from the SeniorWorkingLife study (2018 and 2022), linked to national labour-market registers through 2024. Self-reported pain intensity (low, moderate, high) in four body regions was examined. WLE and WYL were estimated using the expected labour market affiliation method, and economic costs were calculated from individual wage data.

RESULTS: Moderate-to-high pain in two body regions was associated with reduced WLE and higher production losses. Employees with high back and leg pain had mean annual losses of €8167 per person (€58.8 million total), with 38% attributable to sickness absence. Total losses linked to back and leg pain were estimated at €2.0 billion (0.5% of Denmark's GDP).

CONCLUSION: MSP in senior workers, particularly when affecting multiple body regions, imposes a substantial economic burden through reduced WLE and increased sickness absence. Targeted interventions are needed to manage MSP and sustain employment among older workers.