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Work organization and musculoskeletal health: clinical findings from immigrant Latino poultry processing and other
Joseph G Grzywacz1, Thomas A Arcury, Dana Mora
1Department of Family and Community Medicine, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC 27157, USA. grzywacz@wakehealth.edu
Objective:
To determine the potential role of differential exposure to work organization hazards in musculoskeletal disorders among immigrant Latino workers.
Method:
Self-reported work organization data were obtained from immigrant Latino workers in poultry processing and nonpoultry, manual occupations (N = 742). Clinical evaluations for epicondylitis, rotator cuff syndrome, and back pain were obtained from a subsample (n = 518).
Results:
Several work organization hazards (eg, low job control, high psychological demands) were elevated among poultry processing workers. Job control predicted epicondylitis (odds ratio [OR] = 0.77) and rotator cuff syndrome (OR = 0.79); psychological demand predicted rotator cuff syndrome (OR = 1.30) and back pain (OR = 1.24); awkward posture and repeated movements predicted all three outcomes; and management safety commitment predicted rotator cuff syndrome (OR = 1.65) and back pain (OR = 1.81).
Discussion:
Immigrant poultry processing workers are exposed to greater work organization hazards that may contribute to occupational health disparities.
