Table 2

Association between risk factors and having stiff or painful joints among mid-age women (n = 4,780)


Stiff or painful joints 'sometimes or often'
Stiff or painful joints 'often'


Variable at Time 1
Unadjusted odds ratio (95% confidence interval)
Adjusteda odds ratio (95% confidence interval)
Unadjusted odds ratio (95% confidence interval)
Adjusteda odds ratio (95% confidence interval)

Education




     Less than high school
1.00
1.00
1.00
1.00
     Some high school
0.77 (0.65–0.92)
0.83 (0.69–0.99)
0.55 (0.43–0.71)
0.58 (0.45–0.75)
     Completed high school
0.73 (0.60–0.90)
0.80 (0.65–0.99)
0.50 (0.37–0.68)
0.55 (0.40–0.76)
     Trade certificate/university degree
0.64 (0.52–0.78)
0.70 (0.56–0.87)
0.49 (0.35–0.67)
0.55 (0.39–0.77)
     Missing
0.97 (0.51–1.82)
0.92 (0.48–1.75)
1.51 (0.70–3.26)
1.30 (0.58–2.93)
Area of residence




     Urban
1.0
1.0
1.0
1.0
     Large town
0.87 (0.73–1.05)
0.87 (0.72–1.05)
0.8 (0.58–1.11)
0.77 (0.55–1.07)
     Small town/remote area
1.11 (0.98–1.26)
1.09 (0.96–1.24)
1.14 (0.93–1.39)
1.08 (0.88–1.34)
     Missing
0.83 (0.49–1.40)
0.83 (0.49–1.42)
0.3 (0.75–1.28)
0.32 (0.76–1.33)
Country of birth




     Australia
1.00
1.00
1.00
1.00
     Other English-speaking
1.07 (0.91–1.27)
1.12 (0.95–1.33)
0.70 (0.51–0.95)
0.70 (0.51–0.97)
     Non-English speaking
0.97 (0.78–1.21)
1.02 (0.82–1.28)
0.96 (0.67–1.36)
0.99 (0.69–1.43)
     Missing
1.35 (0.99–1.84)
1.36 (0.99–1.88)
1.64 (1.06–2.53)
1.61 (1.02–2.53)
Depression




     No
1.00
1.00
1.00
1.00
     Yes
1.56 (1.29–1.94)
1.44 (1.17–1.78)
2.10 (1.60–2.77)
1.76 (1.32–2.35)
Number of chronic diseases




     0
1.00
1.00
1.00
1.00
     1
1.41 (1.24–1.61)
1.35 (1.18–1.54)
1.78 (1.43–2.20)
1.62 (1.30–2.02)
     2
1.54 (1.26–1.89)
1.37 (1.11–1.67)
2.67 (2.01–3.54)
2.17 (1.61–2.91)
     3
1.93 (1.35–2.75)
1.67 (1.17–2.40)
2.53 (1.55–4.14)
1.96 (1.18–3.25)
     4 or more
1.47 (0.77–2.82)
1.10 (0.56–2.14)
3.04 (1.32–7.01)
1.89 (0.79–4.49)
Smoking status




     Never
1.00
1.00
1.00
1.00
     Former
1.00 (0.88–1.14)
0.99 (0.87–1.12)
1.23 (1.00–1.54)
1.21 (0.97–1.50)
     Current
1.14 (0.95–1.36)
1.08 (0.90–1.30)
1.44 (1.09–1.91)
1.35 (1.01–1.81)
     Missing
2.23 (0.63–7.91)
2.11 (0.59–7.60)
2.56 (0.54–12.10)
2.70 (0.55–13.2)
Body mass index




     <20 kg/m2
1.03 (0.79–1.36)
1.03 (0.78–1.36)
1.22 (0.76–1.95)
1.25 (0.78–2.01)
     ≥ 20 and <25 kg/m2
1.00
1.00
1.00
1.00
     ≥ 25 and <30 kg/m2
1.10 (0.96–1.27)
1.06 (0.92–1.23)
1.46 (1.15–1.86)
1.36 (1.06–1.74)
     ≥ 30 kg/m2
1.63 (1.38–1.92)
1.46 (1.23–1.73)
2.22 (1.73–2.86)
1.83 (1.41–2.38)
     Missing
1.32 (1.05–1.66)
1.29 (1.02–1.62)
1.43 (0.98–2.08)
1.35 (0.92–2.00)
Physical activity




     None (<40 MET.min/week)
1.00
1.00
1.00
1.00
     Very low (40 to <300 MET.min/week)
0.86 (0.71–1.05)
0.93 (0.76–1.14)
0.92 (0.67–1.26)
1.08 (0.78–1.49)
     Low (300 to <600 MET.min/week)
0.77 (0.63–0.94)
0.88 (0.71–1.08)
0.87 (0.63–1.19)
1.15 (0.82–1.60)
     Moderate (600 to <1,200 MET.min/week)
0.82 (0.68–0.99)
0.94 (0.77–1.14)
0.71 (0.52–0.97)
0.91 (0.66–1.27)
     High (1,200+ MET.min/week)
0.75 (0.62–0.90)
0.88 (0.72–1.06)
0.78 (0.58–1.05)
1.06 (0.78–1.45)

aAdjusted for all other variables in the table.

Heesch et al. Arthritis Research & Therapy 2007 9:R34   doi:10.1186/ar2154