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Introduction. Back pain is a serious medical and social problem. The aim of this study was relationships between the quality of life and the intensity of pain and functional efficiency in women and men with degenerative changes in the lumbar spine. Material and methods. The study involved 53 women and 52 men, who, due to chronic pain in the lumbar spine due to degenerative changes, were qualified for therapy at the Local Government Health Center in Miedziana Gora. The research tool was NRS scale, Oswestry Distability Index ODI and shortened version of the survey WHOQOL-BREF. The collected research results were analysed with the use of Mann-Whitney U test, Chi-square test and Spearman rank correlation. Results. Statistically significant differences in the values of the ODI questionnaire relating to the category "care" (p = 0.046) were found. In men, statistically significant negative associations between body build and the WHOQOL-BREF survey values concerning the somatic (p = 0.012), psychological (p = 0.007) and social (p = 0.022) domains were found. Statistically significant positive associations between the intensity of pain and functional capacity according to the ODI were found in both sexes (p < 0.001). Statistically significant negative relationships between the NRS value and the psychological domain were noted in women (p = 0.023), and with the somatic (p < 0.001), psychological (p = 0.006), socjal (p = 0.013) and environmental (p < 0.001) domain in men. Wnioski. In terms of functional efficiency, men with back pain caused by degenerative changes are characterized by greater limitations in terms of activities related to care. In men, the increase in BMI is accompanied by a decrease in the quality of life in the somatic, psychological and social domains. In both sexes, the increase in the intensity of back pain affects the deterioration of functional efficiency. In women, the increase in the intensity of pain was associated with a decrease in the quality of life in the psychological domain, and in men in the somatic, psychological, social and environmental domains.

Objectives The aim of this work was to assess the work ability, health status, disability and quality of life of working people of pre-retirement and retirement age, as well as to analyze factors affecting the ability to perform work in older age. Material and Methods A cross-sectional pilot study was conducted in the Podkarpackie and Świętokrzyskie voivodeships, Poland, in randomly selected workplaces of intellectual nature. It was carried out by means of direct interviews in the workplace of the surveyed people, using the Work Ability Index , a questionnaire based on the WHO Disability Assessment Schedule 2.0 , the WHO Quality of Life-BREF questionnaire , the Geriatric Depression Scale , and the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS). The criteria for inclusion were: age 55–75 years and informed consent to participate in the study. Overall, 201 complete questionnaires were included in the analysis. Demographic data is presented using descriptive statistics measurements. The logistic regression model was used to identify factors related to work ability. Results The vast majority (69.66%) of employees performing intellectual work had moderate or poor work ability. The average level of general disability in the studied group was mild (20.65), and the quality of life was quite good (64.73). A significant problem among the surveyed people was a quite high average level of pain (VAS = 3.99), the occurrence of depression (73.63%), as well as musculoskeletal (64.18%) and cardiovascular diseases (52.24%). The most important factor contributing to a better work ability was the adaptation of the workplace to functional and healthrelated needs (OR = 7.79). Psychological well-being (OR = 1.12), cognitive performance (OR = 0.97) and a smaller number of chronic diseases (OR = 0.58) were also important factors. Conclusions Preparation of elderly people for professional activity should be conducted in 2 different ways, i.e., by means of education and implementation of an active, healthy lifestyle, and increasing control over one’s own health and factors determining it, as well as by the proper organization of working space, and quick access to treatment and rehabilitation, especially in the case of musculoskeletal and cardiovascular diseases. Int J Occup Med Environ Health. 2021;34(1):69–85