Job Satisfaction vs. Sick Leave and /or Absenteeism:

Researchers at England's Manchester University say if you feel you are underpaid and are fed up, you are a prime candidate for a pain in the back. Their study is based on interviews with 1,600 people, half of whom were employed. Doctors say there was little difference in the risk of backache between those who had work and those who did not. But those who were unhappy about their job status, whether in work or currently unemployed, were twice as likely to suffer from the ailment.

Workers unhappy about their salaries were three times more likely to go for medical help or simply take time off work than those satisfied with the money they were getting.

The researchers say the study refutes the myth that those who suffer from pain in the lower back are just work-shy. Tolerance of stress levels differs from person to person.

Some people are able to sustain a highly stressful lifestyle or adapt themselves to a series of stressful events easily. However, many others succumb more readily to a variety of stress-related illnesses and even accidental injuries.