Author(s): Fernandes, Carla Sílvia Neves da Nova ; Couto, Germano ; Carvalho, Rogério ; Ferreira, Patricia ; Fernandes, Daniela
Date: 2018
Persistent ID: http://hdl.handle.net/10284/7888
Origin: Repositório Institucional - Universidade Fernando Pessoa
Subject(s): Working conditions; Occupational risks; Occupational health; Allied health personnel; Musculoskeletal diseases
Background: Work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSDs) are responsible for morbidity among many health professionals. Objective: To establish the prevalence of self-reported WMSDs among health professionals. Methods: Descriptive and exploratory study with health professionals at a hospital in northern Portugal. Data were collected in December 2017 by means of an electronic questionnaire applied to the total target population (n=435). We applied instruments for sociodemographic characterization, perception of knowledge on ergonomics and manual mobilization of loads, the Patient Handling Burden Scale (PHBS) and the Nordic Musculoskeletal Questionnaire (NMQ) for self-reporting musculoskeletal symptoms. Results: The sample comprised 105 professionals, mainly nurses and nursing assistants, who exhibited high frequency of symptoms in several body areas, mainly the spine. Conclusions: WMSDs involving health professionals should be considered a problem for health institutions which do not implement interventions beyond traditional training programs, especially multifactorial programs of systemic nature.
