Korean J Occup Environ Med.
2011 Mar;23(1):1-8.
The Prevalence of Musculoskeletal Symptoms and the Ergonomic Risk Factors among Oriental Melon-growing Farmers
- Affiliations
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- 1Department of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, College of Medicine, Hanyang University, Korea. sjlee@hanyang.ac.kr
- 2National Academy of Agricultural Science, Rural Development Administration, Korea.
- 3Department of Systems Management Engineering, Sungkyunkwan University, Korea.
- 4Department of Preventive Medicine and Public Health, School of Medicine, Wonkwang University, Korea.
Abstract
OBJECTIVES
The purpose of this study was to investigate the prevalence of musculoskeletal symptoms in oriental melon-growing farmers and to evaluate the ergonomic risk factors of melon cultivation.
METHODS
The study included 217 subjects growing oriental melons mainly in 3 villages. Subjects were interviewed by means of a structured questionnaire. Instruments used the general features and symptom table of NIOSH to evaluate tasks using ergonomic tools (REBA, OWAS).
RESULTS
A total of 202 final respondents answered. The prevalence of musculoskeletal symptoms based on the NIOSH standard criteria was 162 (75.2%). The prevalence per body part for lower back, knee and shoulder were 102 (50.5%), 86 (42.6%) and 71 (35.1%), respectively. The prevalence of pain complaints of the musculoskeletal symptom was 91 (45.0%). The prevalence of complaints per body part of lower back, knee and shoulder were 54 (26.7%), 41 (20.3%) and 37 (18.3%), respectively. Logistic regression analysis showed men were at higher risk compared to women (OR=2.409, 95% CI=1.071~5.389), and ore than 30 years of work having a higher risk compared to less than 30 years of work (OR=2.445, 95% CI=1.150~5.197). High risk tasks were moving around boxes and nursery plants for planting, transplanting nursery plants, and picking melons.
CONCLUSIONS
Musculoskeletal symptoms were very highly prevalent in oriental melon-growing farmers, showing up in 75.2% of cases. They were exposed to ergonomic high risk factors such as squatting. These risk factors must be improved in some way.
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