Affiliations: [a]
Department of Health Promotion, University of Franca, Franca, São Paulo, Brazil
| [b]
Department of Physical Therapy, Florida International University, Miami, FL, USA
Correspondence:
[*]
Address for correspondence: Larissa Brentini de Almeida, MSc, Department of Health Promotion, University of Franca, Av. Dr. Armando Salles de Oliveira, 201 Pq. Universitário, Franca, SP CEP:14.404-600, São Paulo, Brazil. E-mail: larissabrentini@hotmail.com.
Abstract: BACKGROUND: Manufacturing footwear requires intense manual labor and high repetitions with low variability in function that may lead to musculoskeletal disorders (MSD) symptoms and psychological stress. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate a potential association between musculoskeletal disorders (MSD) and perceived stress among footwear industry workers. METHODS: The Nordic General Questionnaire (NGQ) and the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-10) were completed by 357 footwear industry workers. The association between MSD and perceived stress was evaluated using the Chi-Square test and Odds Ratios along with their 95% Confidence Interval (95% CI) were calculated. RESULTS: The twelve-month prevalence of MSD symptoms among the respondents was 66% (n = 236) and the symptoms were significantly associated with perceived stress (p = 0.002, OR: 10, 95% CI: 1.7 to 60.6). The seven-day prevalence of MSD symptoms was 33% and the symptoms were also significantly associated with perceived stress (p = 0.001, OR: 2.7, 95% CI:0.8 to 9.3). The association between perceived stress and MSD symptoms indicates a strong association between MSD symptoms and perceived stress levels. CONCLUSION: Considering that these problems are important determinants of worker’s health, a combined approach to reduce both stress and MSD symptoms is necessary for prevention and health promotion in the footwear industry.
