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Back complaints and findings in transport workers performing physically heavy work
Scandinavian Journal of Work, Environment & Health
|January 1, 1982
Summary
Airport transport workers frequently experience back disorders due to manual labor. A screening interview effectively identifies these back symptoms, aiding in early detection and prevention strategies.
Area of Science:
- Occupational Health
- Musculoskeletal Disorders
- Transportation Safety
Background:
- Airport transport work involves physically demanding tasks like lifting and carrying.
- These activities in confined spaces contribute to a high prevalence of back diseases among workers.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the nature and prevalence of back disorders in airport transport workers.
- To evaluate a standardized interview as a screening tool for back symptoms in this occupational group.
Main Methods:
- A standardized interview was conducted with 366 transport workers to assess subjective back symptoms.
- A subset of 134 workers received a clinical orthopedic examination for objective findings.
- Validity of the interview was assessed against clinical examination results.
Main Results:
- 66% of interviewed workers reported current back symptoms, positively correlated with height, age, and work experience.
- 83% of those with current symptoms also had a history of previous back pain.
- The interview demonstrated high sensitivity (86%) and moderate specificity (31%) for detecting back disorders.
Conclusions:
- The standardized interview is a valuable screening method for identifying back disorders in airport transport workers due to its high sensitivity.
- Implementing worker selection based on identified risk factors may reduce the incidence of back complaints in this population.