Physical and psychosocial factors associated with musculoskeletal disorders among hospital based nurses in Australia

Objectives: To assess the demographic, employment, and workplace physical and psychosocial factors associated with musculoskeletal pain in Australian hospital-based nurses. Methods: Information on low back, neck, shoulder, elbow, wrist/hand and knee pain, associated disability and sickness absence, demographic, and workplace physical and psychosocial factors among nurses working for three public hospitals in Melbourne, Australia was collected in a crosssectional study. Association between the risk factor and musculoskeletal pain in the past 12 months was determined using a modified Poisson Regression Model to estimate the prevalence ratio (PR) with 95% confidence interval (95% CI). Results: 1,111 participants (response rate 38.6%) completed the questionnaire. The most common site of pain in the past 12 months was the low back (55.8%), neck (48.2%) shoulder (36.5%), knee (26.8%), hand/wrist (22.6%) and elbow (11.8%). The independent associated physical factors for low back pain was lifting =25 kg (PR 1.18; 95% CI 1.06-1.34) and kneeling/squatting for =1 hr/day (PR 1.17; 95% CI 1.02-1.34), neck pain was associated with keyboard use of =4 hrs/day (PR 1.21; 95% CI 1.04-1.39), hand/wrist pain with repeated movement of the hand/wrist =4 hrs/day (PR 1.74; 95% CI 1.31-2.30), and knee pain was lifting =25 kg (PR 1.49; 95% CI 1.19- 1.86). The most consistent independent psychosocial factors that were associated with MSD at all sites are low job control and high job demand. Conclusion: This study found that workplace physical and psychosocial factors were associated with musculoskeletal pain. Measure to reduce musculoskeletal disorder needs to consider both workplace physical and psychosocial factors.