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Musculoskeletal pain in medical laboratory personnel: a cross-sectional study
Letycia C Nuñez Argote1, Jarron M Saint Onge2, Elizabeth Ablah3
1Department of Population Health Management and Policy, North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University, Greensboro, North Carolina, United States.
Objectives:
To estimate the prevalence of musculoskeletal pain among the laboratory workforce in the United States.
Methods:
An electronic survey was used to gather data from laboratory workers between October 2021 and February 2022. The instrument included the Standardized Nordic Musculoskeletal Questionnaire, as well as personal and work-related questions. A summary of descriptive statistics and a multivariable analysis using self-reported musculoskeletal pain in the past 7 days were performed.
Results:
Of 518 medical laboratory professionals in the study, 94% reported musculoskeletal pain in at least 1 body site in the past 12 months, with many experiencing pain in the past 7 days. The sites where musculoskeletal pain was most often reported in the past week included lower back (39%), neck (38%), and shoulders (34%). Sex, race and ethnicity, time in the profession, job title, and organization type were associated with recent musculoskeletal pain.
Conclusions:
A high prevalence of musculoskeletal pain was documented among medical laboratory personnel. Characterizing musculoskeletal pain in this population can help researchers understand the physiologic impacts of long-term exposure to laboratory work, as well as implement and evaluate prevention and risk reduction measures.
