Korean J Fam Pract.  2022 Apr;12(2):101-109. 10.21215/kjfp.2022.12.2.101.

The Effect of Working Conditions on Upper and Lower Extremity Pain and Sleep Disturbance in Delivery Workers: The Fifth Korean Working Conditions Survey

• Gim DS
• Cho JJ
• Yoon JL
• Kim MY
• Lee DY

• KMID: 2528444
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.21215/kjfp.2022.12.2.101

Abstract

Background
The purpose of this study was to compare and analyze how working conditions affect upper and lower extremity pain and sleep disturbance in door-to-door delivery (DDD) and food delivery (FD) workers.
Methods
The study participants were 179 DDD and 128 FD workers selected from the respondents of the Fifth Korean Working Conditions Survey. The health behaviors of delivery workers in relation to their general characteristics, psychosocial working conditions, and working time quality were evaluated. Univariate analysis and multiple logistic regression analysis were performed for upper and lower extremity pain and sleep disturbance.
Results
DDD workers had more complaints of back pain (19.10%), upper extremity pain (37.18%), lower extremity pain (28.54%), depression (1.91%), and sleep disturbance (32.76%) than FD workers. The adjusted odds ratios for upper and lower extremity pain and sleep disturbance were analyzed.For upper extremity pain, DDD workers had the highest score in “working fast” and FD workers in “lack of rest time.” For lower extremity pain, both DDD and FD workers had the highest score in “hiding emotions.” For sleep disturbance, DDD workers had the highest score in “job stress” and FD workers in “lack of rest time.”
Conclusion
This study confirmed that the health behaviors of delivery workers are significantly related to psychosocial working conditions and working time quality. The results of this study can serve as basic data for developing health promotion programs to prevent diseases and for establishing policies aimed at improving the clinical care of delivery workers in the future.

Keyword

Occupational Groups; Sleep Disorders; Musculoskeletal Pain; Extremities