Affiliations: [a] Federal University of Alagoas, Backland Campus at Delmiro Gouveia, University City, Delmiro Gouveia, Alagoas, Brazil
| [b] Federal University of Paraíba, Production Engineering Department, University City, João Pessoa, Paraíba, Brazil
| [c] Federal University of Pernambuco, Postgraduate Program in Production Engineering, University City, Refice, Pernambuco, Brazil
Correspondence:
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Address for correspondence: Jonhatan Magno Norte da Silva, Federal University of Alagoas, Backland Campus at Delmiro Gouveia, University City, Delmiro Gouveia, Alagoas, Brazil. E-mail: jonhatan.silva@delmiro.ufal.br.
Abstract: BACKGROUND:Previous studies have observed that psychosocial factors are associated with an increase in work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSDs) in European countries. However, the influence of psychosocial factors on the WMSD symptoms has not been studied in detail. Additionally, working conditions differ between developing and developed countries. OBJECTIVE:In this study, the influence of psychosocial factors on WMSD symptoms among men and women in the footwear industry in northeastern Brazil is investigated. METHODS:A questionnaire survey was conducted to evaluate workers’ perceptions of psychosocial factors and WMSD symptoms. The influence of psychosocial factors on WMSD symptom trends was observed through ordinal logistic regression models. RESULTS:It was found that different psychosocial factors are related to WMSD symptom intensification. Factors such as “job insecurity” and “low social support,” which are not associated with the worsening of WMSD symptoms in developed countries, showed a noticeable influence in the sample analyzed. CONCLUSION:These findings may be associated with differences in working conditions and economic problems in developing countries, suggesting that some psychosocial factors have a different effect on workers’ perceptions in developing countries.
Keywords: Painful regions, gender differences, developing country, logistic regression model
