Abstract:
Abstract
Introduction: Musculoskeletal disorders refer to any pain, ache, or discomfort in any area of the
body, from neck to back, upper and lower limbs. Occupational-related injuries are the common
causes of musculoskeletal disorders globally. Little is known about the extent of musculoskeletal
disorders and their associated factors among road cleaners in Sub-Saharan African countries,
particularly in Ethiopia, where it is not well known.
Objective: This study aimed to assess the prevalence and associated factors of musculoskeletal
disorders among road cleaners in Gondar town, Northwest, Ethiopia, 2022.
Method: An institutional-based cross-sectional study design was conducted with a simple
random sampling technique with a sample size of 422 study participants. A face-to-face
interview was conducted by trained physiotherapists using a structured questionnaire adapted
from the Nordic questionnaire. The data was entered using Epi-data version 4.6 and exported
into SPSS version 25. Data was analyzed using descriptive statistics, binary and multivariate
logistic regression model. AOR with a P value of <0.05 with a 95% CI was considered
statistically significant.
Results: A total of 422 road cleaners have participated in this study. The study found that the
overall prevalence of musculoskeletal disorder was 73% (95% CI, 68.5-77.2). The significantly
associated factors for musculoskeletal disorder were age 35 and above (AOR = 2.534, (95%CI,
1.507-4.260)), BMI being obese (AOR = 4.910, (95%CI, 2.216-10.877)), job satisfaction being
dissatisfied (AOR = 2.664, (95%CI, 1.051-6.749)) and cleaning distance greater than or equal to
two kilometers per day (AOR=2.816, (95%CI, 1.642-4.829)).
Conclusion: The prevalence of musculoskeletal disorders was relatively high when compared
with other previous studies. Age, body mass index, job satisfaction, and cleaning distance were
significantly associated with musculoskeletal disorders.
Keywords: musculoskeletal disorders (pain, discomfort), prevalence, street sweeper, street
cleaner, road cleaner, road sweeper, Gondar, Ethiopia.
