Observational stress factors and musculoskeletal disorders in urban transit operators

Associations and pathways between observed (rather than self-reported) job stressors and musculoskeletal disorders in 66 transit operators were investigated to determine specific stressors and vulnerable body regions affected, while adjusting for physical workload. Job stressors, defined as barriers to progress with work, comprised 7 categories and the sum of stressors. Outcomes included back and neck pain, low back pain, neck pain, pain of the upper extremities and the lower extremities, and any combination of these. Stressors were significantly associated with the combined musculoskeletal disorders category (odds ratio [OR] = 1.55), back and neck pain (OR = 1.41), low back pain (OR = 1.46), and pain in the lower extremities (OR = 1.44) after controlling for confounders. Five barrier categories had at least 1 significant association with outcomes. Results provide specific intervention targets by avoiding common method variance bias.