PREVALENCE AND ASSOCIATED FACTORS OF MUSCULOSKELETAL DISORDERS AMONG ROAD CLEANERS IN GONDAR TOWN, NORTHWEST, ETHIOPIA

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.