title: Neck and upper extremity symptoms among male dentists and pharmacists.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  There are many studies discussed about musculoskeletal disorders in dentists, but most of them do not have a control group.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to assess neck and upper limb symptoms in male dentists in comparison with pharmacists.
  
  
  METHODS
  In this cross-sectional study, 252 male general dentists compared with 188 male general pharmacists with Standardized Nordic Questionnaire. Subjects were at least one year in clinical practice after becoming qualified. The data were analyzed using a series of univariate and multivariate analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Having at least one neck or upper extremity symptom in the past 12 months (OR = 3.2, P< 0.001) was reported by 76.2% of the male dentists and 50.0% of the male pharmacists In logistic regression analyses, with adjustments for occupation, age, body mass index, smoking, working years and weekly work hours, there was a significant association between dentistry and 12-month period prevalence symptoms of neck (OR = 2.136), shoulder (OR = 2.059) and elbow (OR = 4.167). Second logistic regression model in male dentists indicated that working years was negatively related to self-reported symptoms of neck, shoulder and hand.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Male dentists are at risk of developing musculoskeletal disorders in the neck and upper extremities more than male pharmacists.
authors.affiliation: Center for Research on Occupational Disease, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.|Department of Occupational Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Omid
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Aminian
authors.affiliation: Center for Research on Occupational Disease, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.|Department of Occupational Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Zahra Banafsheh
authors.initials: ZB
authors.lastname: Alemohammad
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthodontics, Faculty of Dentistry, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Mohammad Hashem
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Hosseini
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003813:Dentistry / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D004550:Elbow; D006225:Hand; D006801:Humans; D007492:Iran / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009140:Musculoskeletal Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology*; D059352:Musculoskeletal Pain / Q000453:epidemiology*; D019547:Neck Pain / Q000453:epidemiology*; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology*; D010604:Pharmacy / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D020069:Shoulder Pain / Q000453:epidemiology*; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Dentistry; Standardized Nordic Questionnaire; musculoskeletal diseases; upper limb