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Noh, Choi, Shin, Lee, and Chung: Occupational Risk Factors Associated with Musculoskeletal Symptoms in Public Workers
Original Article
Korean Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine

Korean Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine 2012; 24(4): 410-419.

Published online: 31 December 2012

DOI: https://doi.org/10.0000/kjoem.2012.24.4.410

Occupational Risk Factors Associated with Musculoskeletal Symptoms in Public Workers

Sei-Kyun Noh, Ju-Hwan Choi, Dong-Hoon Shin, Mi-Young Lee, In-Sung Chung

Department of Occupational Medicine, Dongsan Hospital Keimyung University Dongsan Medical Center, Korea.

Corresponding author (Ichungs@dsmc.or.kr)

Received 3 September 2012       Revised 26 October 2012       Accepted 26 October 2012

Copyright © 2012 The Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Medicine

Abstract

Objectives

The purpose of this study was to examine the occupational risk factors associated with musculoskeletal symptoms in public workers.

Methods

In November 2010, 544 participants anwered a survey that included questions on the participants' general characteristics, job-related factors, health-related behaviors, and psychosocial stress. We measured the relationship of risk factors to musculoskeletal symptoms using a logistic regression analysis.

Results

After adjusting for general characteristics, factors associated with occupational musculoskeletal symptoms were gender (OR=2.858, 95% CI=1.701~4.801), unnatural posture (OR=2.386, 95% CI=1.308~4.354), psychosocial stress (OR=4.051, 95% CI=1.336~12.282) and sleep quality (OR=1.672, 95% CI=1.052~2.660).

Conclusions

These findings suggest that psychosocial stress levels and physical environment (especially in professions requiring an unnatural posture) are related to musculoskeletal symptoms in public workers.

Keywords: Public workers, Musculoskeletal symptoms, Psychosocial stress

Figures and Tables

Table 1
General and work related characteristics of study population
kjoem-24-410-i001

*pittsburgh sleep quality index.

†the symptom existed for 1 week and at least once per month during last one year.

‡the symptom existed for 1 week and at least once per month during last one year, the pain is over the 'moderate grade' pain.

Table 2
Characteristics and musculoskeletal symptoms(Criteria 2*) of the study subjects
kjoem-24-410-i002

*the symptom existed for 1 week and at least once per month during last one year, the pain is over the 'moderate grade' pain.

†calculated by chi-square test.

‡pittsburgh sleep quality index.

§psychosocial well-being index-short form.

Table 3
The association of risk factors with musculoskeletal symptoms by multiple logistic regression
kjoem-24-410-i003

*model I- multiple logistic regression for gender, age, marital status, smoking, sleep quality.

†model II- multiple logistic regression for gender, age, marital status, smoking, sleep quality and job characteristics(cargo handling, unnatural posture).

‡model III - multiple logistic regression for gender, age, marital status, smoking, sleep quality, job characteristics(cargo handling, unnatural posture) and psychosocial stress.

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