J Korean Phys Ther.  2019 Oct;31(5):304-310. 10.18857/jkpt.2019.31.5.304.

Study of Work-Related Musculoskeletal Pain and Health-related Quality of Life among Hospital Workers

• Kim G
• Lee CS
• Lee K

• KMID: 2465122
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.18857/jkpt.2019.31.5.304

Abstract

PURPOSE
This study examined the work-related musculoskeletal pain and quality of life of hospital workers.
METHODS
Self-reported questionnaires were sent to 350 hospital workers at Seoul and Gyeonggi-do, of which 341 were returned. The questionnaire had four items that covered the demographic information, areas of musculoskeletal problems, pain rating scale, and quality of life. The analysis was completed using descriptive statistic, and the differences between pain and demographic variables were identified using a chi-square test. The differences between the type of occupation and quality of life were analyzed by one-way analysis of variance and a Kruskal-Wallis test.
RESULTS
The 12-month prevalence of work-related musculoskeletal pain was 86.1% of physical therapists, 86.5% of occupational therapists, 77.1% of dental hygienists, and 75.8% of nurses. A significant difference in the general and work related variables was observed between the subject with a physical burden and type of occupation. The most affected pain sites of the physical therapist included low back, hand and wrist, shoulder, and neck. The occupational therapists included the hand and wrist, shoulder, neck, but the nurses and dental hygienists reported the shoulder, back, hand and wrist. A significant difference in the quality of life was noted between the subjects in physical therapists and dental hygienists and the subjects in the nurses and occupational therapists (p=0.00).
CONCLUSION
These findings show that hospital workers appear to be high risk for work-related musculoskeletal pain, and the quality of life of physical therapists and nurses was higher than that of dental hygienists and occupational therapists.

Keyword

Work-related musculoskeletal pain; Health-related quality of life; Hospital workers

MeSH Terms

Dental Hygienists
Gyeonggi-do
Hand
Humans
Musculoskeletal Pain*
Neck
Occupations
Physical Therapists
Prevalence
Quality of Life*
Seoul
Shoulder
Wrist