Does food insecurity affect musculoskeletal symptoms, fatigue, and productivity of municipality cleaners? A cross-sectional study

Article type: Research Article

Authors: Babashahi, Mina^a | Bagherifard, Farnaz^b | Daneshmandi, Hadi^{c; *} | Khoshbakht, Rohollah^d | Jaberi, Omid^d | Delir, Eman^e | Tabibian, Mehrnaz^f

Affiliations: [a] Department of Community Nutrition, Faculty of Nutrition Sciences and Food Technology, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran | [b] Department of Occupational Health Engineering, School of Health, Shiraz, Iran | [c] Research Center for Health Sciences, Institute of Health, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran | [d] Shiraz Municipality Waste Management Organization, Shiraz, Iran | [e] Environmental Health Unit, Jahrom University of Medical Sciences, Jahrom, Iran | [f] School of Nutrition & Food Science, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran

Correspondence: [*] Address for correspondence: Hadi Daneshmandi, Research Center for Health Sciences, Institute of Health, Shiraz Univ. Med. Sci., P.O. Box: 71645-111, Shiraz, Iran. Tel.: +98 71 37251001 5 /Ext 435; +98 71 37260225; E-mail: daneshmand@sums.ac.ir.

Abstract: BACKGROUND:Municipality cleaners are exposed to food insecurity, Musculoskeletal Symptoms (MSs), and fatigue. OBJECTIVE:This study aimed to investigate the effect of food insecurity on MSs, fatigue, and productivity among municipality cleaners. METHODS:This study was conducted on 399 Iranian male municipality cleaners with at least one year of working experience. The data were gathered via a demographic/occupational questionnaire, the Persian version of the Household Food Insecurity Access Scale (P-HFIAS), the Persian version of Nordic Musculoskeletal Questionnaire (P-NMQ), the Persian version of the Multidimensional Assessment of Fatigue scale (P-MAF), and the Persian version of Health and Work Questionnaire (P-HWQ). Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, multiple logistic regression (Forward Wald), and multiple linear regression (Stepwise). RESULTS:The findings revealed that 42.6%of the municipality cleaners were in the ‘severely food insecure’ category. The highest prevalence of MSs in the past week were related to knees (35.8%), lower back (35.1%), and ankles/feet (28.8%). Based on the results, the chance of MSs in the shoulders (OR = 1.66) and ankles/feet (1.60) regions, and MSs at least in one body region (OR = 1.47) was higher in the individuals with severe food insecurity than the others. Considering the P-MAF, food insecurity was associated with the ‘degree and severity’, ‘distress that it causes’, and ‘timing of fatigue’ subscales and ‘total fatigue’. Considering the P-HWQ, food insecurity was associated with ‘productivity’, ‘other’s assessment’, ‘concentration/focus’, ‘supervisor relations’, ‘non-work satisfaction’, and ‘impatience/irritability’ subscales. CONCLUSION:The study revealed an association between food insecurity and MSs in some body regions and fatigue and productivity subscales among the municipality cleaners. Nutritional and ergonomic programs are recommended to reduce municipality cleaners’ food insecurity, MSs, and fatigue and enhance their productivity.

Keywords: Fatigue, food insecurity, musculoskeletal symptom, productivity

DOI: 10.3233/WOR-213566

Journal: Work, vol. 70, no. 1, pp. 209-217, 2021