PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - Vanda Felli
AU  - Maria Helena Marziale
AU  - Leila Sarquis
AU  - Matteo Bonzini
AU  - Patrícia Baptista
AU  - Angela Cecilia Pesatori
AU  - Michele Carugno
AU  - David Coggon
TI  - Prevalence of musculoskeletal pain and associated disability in three cohorts of Brazilian workers
AID  - 10.1136/oemed-2011-100382.220
DP  - 2011 Sep 01
TA  - Occupational and Environmental Medicine
PG  - A68--A69
VI  - 68
IP  - Suppl 1
4099  - http://oem.bmj.com/content/68/Suppl_1/A68.3.short
4100  - http://oem.bmj.com/content/68/Suppl_1/A68.3.full
SO  - Occup Environ Med2011 Sep 01; 68
AB  - Objectives Musculoskeletal disorders are a major cause of disability and incapacity for work in developed countries, but less is known about their frequency in developing countries. This study aimed to assess the prevalence of musculoskeletal symptoms and associated disability in three occupational populations in Brazil, as part of the multi-national CUPID study. Methods The target population comprised 200 nursing staff (NS), 300 sugar cane cutters (SCC), and 300 video terminal operators (VTO). With approval from the local Ethics Committee and after obtaining written informed consent, data were collected from participants at interview, using the standardised CUPID questionnaire. The prevalence of health outcomes between occupational groups was assessed by the χ2 test. Results and conclusions In total, 666 (83.3%) subjects answered the questionnaire: 96% of the NS, 60.6% of the SCC and 97.3% of VTO. Most subjects were female (83.2%), 41.4% of them were less than 41 years old. Overall, 55.8% of participants reported low back pain in the past year, 43.1% neck pain, 42.3% shoulder pain, 18.9% elbow pain, 36.4% wrist/hand pain, and 28.9% knee pain. There were significant differences between occupational groups in the 12-month prevalence of pain in the back, neck, wrist, elbow and knee (p<0.001). Similarly, differences were observed in the one-month prevalence of pain in the back and neck (p<0.001), shoulder (p=0.005), elbow (p=0.004), wrists (p=0.026), and knees (p=0.056). The VTO reported musculoskeletal symptoms more frequently, but the NS and SCC registered more absence from work because of musculoskeletal pain.