Musculoskeletal disorders among female nurses in a rural Japanese hospital.
The present research investigated the prevalence of musculoskeletal disorders (MSD) among a previously understudied group of Asian nursing professionals in a rural setting. A total of 305 female nurses (84% response rate) were recruited from a university teaching hospital in Yamanashi prefecture, central Japan. Data were gathered by means of a self-reporting questionnaire. Lower back pain (LBP) was the most commonly reported MSD, affecting 59% of all nurses. This was followed by MSD of the shoulder (46.6%), neck (27.9%), knees (16.4%) and upper leg (11.8%). Working in the surgical department was shown to increase the risk of any MSD 2.7 times when compared to nurses in the other departments (odds ratio 2.7, 95% confidence interval 1.2-6.7, P = 0.0202). Overall, our study shows that MSD are reasonably common among registered nurses in a rural Japanese hospital. These staff may also be at greater risk of suffering MSD than their city-based nursing counterparts and foreign colleagues, particularly with respect to LBP.
Smith
Derek Richard
DR
Department of Health Sciences and University Hospital, Faculty of Medicine, University of Yamanashi, Tamaho, Yamanashi 409-3898, Japan. richard@res.yamanashi-med.ac.jp
Ohmura
Kumeko
K
Yamagata
Zentaro
Z
Minai
Junko
J
D000062:Accidents, Occupational / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D000328:Adult; D001416:Back Pain / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology; D005260:Female; D006780:Hospitals, Rural; D006801:Humans; D007564:Japan / Q000453:epidemiology; D017770:Lifting / Q000009:adverse effects; D008875:Middle Aged; D009140:Musculoskeletal Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D009726:Nurses / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D016353:Self-Examination; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D000078329:Workforce