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This cross-sectional study identified factors associated to musculoskeletal disorders in nursing auxiliaries and technicians in Salvador -Bahia. Three hundred and eight randomly selected female workers answered a questionnaire administered by an interviewer, with questions related to physical and psychosocial demands at work, individual characteristics and activities outside work. Multivariate analysis revealed that musculoskeletal disorders in neck, shoulder or upper back and musculoskeletal disorders in low back are associated to physical demand (material handling, poor back posture and work repetitiveness), psychosocial demand and precarious physical fitness. Musculoskeletal disorders in distal upper extremities are associated to physical demands (repetitiveness and force) and years of work (> 19 Factores asociados a los disturbios músculo-esqueléticos en trabajadoras de enfermeríaEste estudio de corte transversal identificó factores asociados a los disturbios músculo-esqueléticos en auxiliares y técnicas de enfermería en Salvador-BA. Trescientas y ocho trabajadoras, seleccionadas aleatoriamente, respondieron un cuestionario aplicado por un entrevistador, con preguntas sobre demandas físicas y psicosociales en el trabajo, características individuales y actividades extra-laborales. El análisis multivariado reveló disturbios músculo-esqueléticos en pescuezo, hombro o parte alta del dorso y disturbios músculo-esqueléticos en la región lumbar, que se asocian a la demanda física (manoseo de carga, postura inadecuada del tronco y gestos repetitivos), demanda psicosocial y acondicionamiento físico precario. Los disturbios músculo-esqueléticos en extremidades superiores distales se asocian con la demanda física (repetitividad y fuerza) y años de trabajo (> 19). Los resultados apuntan para la necesidad de presentar estrategias de intervención que incorporen tanto los aspectos organizacionales del trabajo así como las adecuaciones en el ambiente físico y en las características de las tareas.

A cross-sectional study estimated the prevalence of work-related musculoskeletal disorders among nursing assistants in Salvador, Bahia. Three hundred and eight workers, randomly selected, answered a questionnaire applied by trained interviewers during working hours. The majority of respondents worked the day shift and did not usually work overtime. About 34% reported having another regular job. Average time in the formal or informal labor market was 19 years. There was high occupational exposure to repetitive hand movements, standing posture, walking, inadequate postures of the trunk and manual handling of loads. The prevalence of work-related musculoskeletal disorders in at least one body segment was 83.4%.The most affected body segments were: low back (53.9%), legs (51.9%), neck (36.4%), upper back (35.7%) and shoulders (33.8%). There was high prevalence of work-related musculoskeletal disorders in the studied population, which points out to the need for improvements in the working conditions of those professionals.

BackgroundSeveral recent studies have described the presence of musculoskeletal complaints, presenting evidence that multisite musculoskeletal pain (MP) is more often present than single-site musculoskeletal pain. However, less is known about determinants of this multimorbidity, particularly, concerning the role of occupational factors and, mainly, what determines single or multisite pain. This study described the associations between pain in different body sites and investigated related factors to MP in workers from Brazil.MethodsA total of 1070 workers (228 women and 842 men), from urban cleaning services and from shoe manufacturers, participated in this cross sectional study (response 97 %). Interviewer-administered questionnaire included sociodemographic factors, physical and psychosocial work demands, leisure-time activities and musculoskeletal pain which was presence of pain in previous seven days, considering eight body sites and MP, the sum score of all painful sites, varying 0–8. A factor analysis was performed that captured the nine variables of physical exposure into two latent factors. Associations of pain between different body sites were assessed. Cox regression analyses, presenting the prevalence ratio (PR), showed the related factors to MP.ResultsIn the previous seven days, 30 % of workers had MP. For all body sites, comorbidity ranged from 72 % to 91 %. Having pain in one body site is associated with pain in other site and the associations between proximal sites were stronger than between more distal sites. High exposure to manual material handling and awkward postures (PR = 1.5, 95 % CI 1.1–2.0), job strain (PR = 1.2, 95 % CI 1.0–1.6), and low social support (PR = 1.3, 95 % CI 1.0–1.7) and being woman (PR = 1.7, 95 % CI 1.3–2.3) were associated with MP. Risk factors for single–site pain and for subsequent musculoskeletal comorbidity were very similar, suggesting an additive effect of risk factors.ConclusionsMost workers reported MP that was associated with several work-related factors. The findings support the idea that multisite pain is a continuum of single-site pain, maintained by exposure to several risk factors, rather than the result of a specific risk factor that initiates the multisite pain but not single-site pain. Workplace interventions are needed to decrease the number of pain sites, in order to improve the worker’s health.

A cross-sectional study was conducted to identify possible associations between working conditions and health among correctional officers in Salvador, Bahia, Brazil. The study used a stratified proportional random sample of 311 individuals who answered a non-identifiable self-applied questionnaire. The following results were obtained by logistic regression: (a) psychologically inadequate workplace, insufficient basic work conditions, no leisure time, lack of sports practice, >/=nine years working in the prison system, excessive work hours, >/=48 hours work/week, and inadequate organizational conditions at work were associated with minor psychological disorders; (b) lack of specific training, female gender, >/=48 hours work/week, psychologically inadequate workplace, no leisure time, and lack of sports practice were associated with persistent stress, (c) age >/=45 years, >/=nine years working in the prison system, excessive work hours, lack of sports practice, inadequate basic and organizational work conditions, and minor psychological disorders were associated with health complaints.

OBJECTIVE:To examine the interaction between physical and psychosocial demands of work associated to low back pain. METHODS:Cross-sectional study carried out in a stratifi ed proportional random sample of 577 plastic industry workers in the metropolitan area of the city of Salvador, Northeast Brazil in 2002. An anonymous standard questionnaire was administered in the workplace by trained interviewers. Physical demands at work were self-rated on a 6-point numeric scale, with anchors at each end of the scale. Factor analysis was carried out on 11 physical demand variables to identify underlying factors. Psychosocial work demands were measured by demand, control and social support questions. Multivariate analysis was performed using the likelihood ratio test. RESULTS:The factor analysis identifi ed two physical work demand factors: material handling (factor 1) and repetitiveness (factor 2). The multiple logistic regression analysis showed that factor 1 was positively associated with low back pain (OR=2.35, 95% CI 1.50;3.66). No interaction was found between physical and psychosocial work demands but both were independently associated to low back pain. CONCLUSIONS:The study found independent effects of physical and psychosocial work demands on low back pain prevalence and emphasizes the importance of physical demands especially of material handling involving trunk bending forward and trunk rotation regardless of age, gender, and body fi tness.