Associations of self estimated workloads with musculoskeletal symptoms among hospital nurses
Shoko Andoa, Yuichiro Onob, Midori Shimaokac, Shuichi Hirutac, Yoji Hattorid, Fumiko Horie, Yasuhiro Takeuchif
a Nagoya University
School of Health Sciences, 1-1-20 Daikominami, Higashi-ku, Nagoya
461-8673, Japan, b Fujita Health
University School of Medicine, Department of Public Health, 1-98
Dengakugakubo, Kutsukake-cho, Toyoake, Aichi-prefecture 470-1192,
Japan, c Nagoya University, Research
Center of Health, Physical Fitness, and Sports, Furo-cho, Chikusa-ku,
Nagoya 464-0814, Japan, d Daido
Institute of Technology, Department of Physical Education, 10-3
Takiharu-cho, Minami-ku, Nagoya 457-8530, Japan, e Gifu College of Medical Technology, 795-1
Nagamine, Ichihiraga, Seki 501-3822, Japan, f Nagoya University School of Medicine, Department
of Hygiene, 65 Tsurumai-cho, Showa-ku, Nagoya 466-8560, Japan
Correspondence to: Dr Shoko Ando, Department of Nursing, Nagoya University School of Health Sciences, 1-1-20 Daikominami, Higashi-ku, Nagoya 461-8673, Japan
Accepted 20 October
1999
OBJECTIVES
To
investigate the prevalence of neck, shoulder, and arm pain (NSAP) as
well as low back pain (LBP) among hospital nurses, and to examine the
association of work tasks and self estimated risk factors with NSAP and LBP.
METHODSA cross
sectional study was carried out in a national university hospital in
Japan. Full time registered nurses in the wards (n=314) were selected
for analysis. The questionnaire was composed of items on demographic
conditions, severity of workloads in actual tasks, self estimated risk
factors for fatigue, and musculoskeletal pain in the previous month.
Rate ratios (RRs) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs) were
calculated by the Cox's proportional hazards model to study the
association of pain with variables related to work and demographic conditions.
RESULTSThe
prevalences of low back, shoulder, neck, and arm pain in the previous
month were 54.7%, 42.8%, 31.3%, and 18.6%, respectively. The
prevalence of musculoskeletal symptoms among hospital nurses was higher
than in previous studies. In the Cox's models for LBP and NSAP, there
were no significant associations between musculoskeletal pain and the
items related to work and demographic conditions. The RRs for LBP
tended to be relatively higher for "accepting emergency patients"
and some actual tasks. Some items of self estimated risk factors for
fatigue tended to have relatively higher RRs for LBP and NSAP.
CONCLUSIONSIt was
suggested that musculoskeletal pain among hospital nurses may have
associations with some actual tasks and items related to work postures,
work control, and work organisation. Further studies, however, are
necessary, as clear evidence of this potential association was not
shown in the study.
Keywords: workloads; musculoskeletal pain; nurses
© 2000 by Occupational and Environmental Medicine
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