Association between work content and musculoskeletal disorders among home caregivers: a cross-section study

In Taiwan, over 80% of home caregivers have experienced musculoskeletal disorders (MSD) in the past year. Although MSDs in health care workers have been discussed in existing literature (e.g., in nursing staff), there is limited understanding of the association between MSD and the work content of home caregivers. This study aimed to investigate the correlation between the work content and MSD of home caregivers. This cross-sectional study was conducted in long-term care units in central Taiwan. A structured questionnaire was used to collect data, including basic information, work content survey, and information from the Nordic Musculoskeletal Questionnaire. Logistic regression analysis was used to examine the association between work content and MSD. A total of 149 home caregivers with a mean age of approximately 50.97 ± 9.80 years were recruited for the study. The frequency of transfer of toilet and wheelchair was significantly associated with shoulder discomfort, upper back discomfort, and wrists/hands discomfort. In addition, the frequency of passive range of motion exercise was significantly associated with elbows discomfort. The results of this study indicated that the highest risk factor for MSD was transfer of toilet and wheelchair followed by passive range of motion exercise.