Abstract

This cross-sectional study investigated the level of work ability (WA) and its association with manual patient handling (MPH) in healthcare workers (HCW). Participants were HCWs working at the University Hospital of Botucatu Medical School, who were willing to participate and provided written informed consent. Of the 488 HCWs who were invited, 320 participated for a response rate of 65.6%. Sixteen participants (5%) were subsequently excluded from data analysis due to missing data. Data were collected using a self-administered anonymous paper questionnaire containing seven parts: manual patient handling, low back pain, demographic characteristics, occupational variables, psychosocial work conditions, lifestyle variables and work ability. Work ability was measured by the Brazilian version of the Work Ability Index (WAI). The association between WA and LBP was analyzed using a Poisson regression model. Initially, simple Poisson regression models with robust variance were conducted for each covariate. Those variables with a p value ≤ 0.25 were selected for inclusion in a multiple Poisson regression model with robust variance, and those with p<0.05 were considered statistically significant. Most respondents were female (83.6%), the mean age was 40.35 years (SD 9.74, range 22-66) and the average duration of employment was 10.67 years (SD 9.36, range 1-40). The WAI mean score was 38.03 points (SD 6.15, 95% CI 37.33-38.72), and the prevalence of adequate WA (equal to or above 37 points) was 56.58%. In the multiple Poisson regression model, MPH (PR 1.375, 95% CI 1.038-1.821) was significantly associated with WA, even when adjusted for the covariates. Thus, hospital managers should plan and implement interventions to maintain healthcare workers’ work ability, and these interventions should include the limitation of manual patient handling activities.