Prevalence of suspected occupational diseases across critical industries in Malaysia

Industrial workers are routinely exposed to various occupational hazards, which contribute to a substantial burden of suspected occupational diseases (OD) and injuries. Understanding the prevalence, distribution, and associated factors of these suspected conditions within Malaysian industries is crucial for effective risk mitigation and occupational disease prevention strategies.

A nationwide cross-sectional study was conducted across 13 states and three federal territories in Malaysia. Data were collected using an online, self-administered, and validated questionnaire designed to screen for six suspected occupational diseases: occupational noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL), mental health illness (MHI), neurotoxicity, work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WRMSD), skin diseases, and respiratory diseases. Responses were analysed with R Programming and IBM SPSS Statistics version 29. Descriptive statistics were applied to summarise disease prevalence, while Chi-square tests were performed to examine associations between suspected diseases and worker characteristics.

This study involved 736 companies and a total of 116,939 participants. The prevalence of suspected mental health disorders was notably high in the manufacturing sector (24.34%, 95% CI: 23.86-24.82), the hotel and restaurant industry (50.09%, 95% CI: 48.79-51.38), and the utilities sector (36.45%, 95% CI: 35.76-37.14). Suspected respiratory illnesses were most frequently reported in mining and quarrying (19.75%, 95% CI: 17.61-21.88) and construction (9.00%, 95% CI: 8.39-9.62). In wholesale and retail trade, neurotoxicity-related conditions showed the highest prevalence (17.05%, 95% CI: 16.45-17.64), while in agriculture, forestry, and fisheries, work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WRMSD) were the most common reported conditions (7.6%, 95% CI: 6.89-8.32). Across all six suspected occupational disease categories, statistically significant differences (p < 0.05) were observed with nationality, ethnicity, gender, body mass index (BMI), educational attainment, and smoking status.

This nationwide analysis reveals an urgent and uneven burden of suspected occupational diseases in Malaysia, with distinct sectoral patterns and strong demographic influences. The prominence of mental health disorders, respiratory illnesses, neurotoxicity, and musculoskeletal conditions underscores critical gaps in workplace health protection. Implementing evidence-based, industry-specific interventions and integrating proactive surveillance into occupational health systems are imperative to safeguard and sustain the nation's workforce.