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dc.contributor.authorMunabi, Ian G
dc.contributor.authorBuwembo, William
dc.contributor.authorKitara, David L
dc.contributor.authorOchieng, Joseph
dc.contributor.authorMwaka, Erisa S
dc.date.accessioned2014-08-06T06:03:39Z
dc.date.available2014-08-06T06:03:39Z
dc.date.issued2014
dc.identifier.citationMunabi et al.: Musculoskeletal disorder risk factors among nursing professionals in low resource settings: a cross-sectional study in Uganda. BMC Nursing, 13(7): 1-8.en_US
dc.identifier.otherdoi:10.1186/1472-6955-13-7
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/10570/3511
dc.description.abstractBackground: Musculoskeletal disorders (MSD) constitute one of the main occupational hazards among health care workers. However, few epidemiological studies on work related MSD among nursing professionals have been carried out in Africa. The purpose of this study was to assess the work related musculoskeletal disorders and associated risk factors among nursing professionals in Uganda. Methods: This was a cross-sectional study of MSD among 880 nursing professionals from five selected hospitals in Uganda. Data was collected using a questionnaire adapted from the Dutch Musculoskeletal and Nordic Musculoskeletal questionnaires. Descriptive (mean, standard deviation and percentages) and inferential (Chi square test and logistic regression analysis) statistics were used to analyse data. Alpha level was set at p < 0.05. Results: A total of 741 completed questionnaires were analysed (response rate 85.4%). The average age of the respondents was 35.4 (SD 10.7) years and a majority were female (85.7%). The average working hours per week was 43.7 (SD 18.9 hours). The 12-month period-prevalence of MSD at anybody site was 80.8%. The most common site of MSD was the lower back (61.9%). Significant risk factors for reported MSD included often working in a slightly bent posture (adjOR 2.25, 95% CI 1.20-4.26), often working in a slightly twisted posture for long (adjOR 1.97, 95% CI 1.03-3.77), mental exhaustion (adjOR 2.05, 95% CI 1.17-3.5), being absent from the work station for more than 6 months due to illness or an accident (adjO|R, 4.35, 95% CI 1.44-13.08) and feeling rested after a break (adjOR 2.09, 95% CI 1.16-3.76). Conclusions: Musculoskeletal disorders affect more than 80% of nursing professionals in Uganda with the most commonly, affected site being the lower back. Significant risk factors for MSD include; being absent from the work station for more than 6 months due to illness or an accident, working in awkward postures, pushing/pulling of heavy loads and mental exhaustion. There is a need for greater advocacy, better working conditions and adoption of strategies to reduce occupational injuries.en_US
dc.description.sponsorshipTraining Health Researchers into Vocational Excellence (THRiVE)en_US
dc.language.isoenen_US
dc.publisherBMC Nursingen_US
dc.subjectMusculoskeletal disordersen_US
dc.subjectRisk factorsen_US
dc.subjectUgandaen_US
dc.titleMusculoskeletal disorder risk factors among nursing professionals in low resource settings: a cross-sectional study in Uganda.en_US
dc.typeArticleen_US


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