Intensity of musculoskeletal pain and (in) ability to work in nursing

Authors

  • Tânia Solange Bosi de Souza Magnago Universidade Federal de Santa Maria
  • Ana Cláudia Soares de Lima Universidade Federal de Santa Maria
  • Andrea Prochnow Universidade Federal de Santa Maria
  • Marinez Diniz da Silva Ceron Universidade Federal de Santa Maria
  • Juliana Petri Tavares Universidade Federal de Santa Maria
  • Janete de Souza Urbanetto Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio Grande do Sul

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.1590/S0104-11692012000600015

Keywords:

Nursing, Occupational Health, Work Capacity Evaluation, Cumulative Trauma Disorders, Pain

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: the aim was to evaluate the association between the intensity of musculoskeletal pain and reduction in work ability among nursing workers. METHOD: a cross-sectional study, involving 592 nursing staff in a public university hospital in Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. The Brazilian version of the Finnish questionnaire for calculating Work Ability Index was used, whose score varies from 7 to 49 points. The score was dichotomized as reduced work ability (7 to 36 points) and good/excellent ability (37 to 49 points). The intensity of musculoskeletal pain over the previous week was evaluated, using a numerical pain scale. RESULT: 43.3% of the participants had reduced work ability and 48.8% reported strong to unbearable pain. Even after adjusting for potentially confounding factors (function and length of service in the function), the workers who mentioned strong to unbearable pain were four times more likely to be classified in the group with reduced work ability. CONCLUSION: A positive association was determined between intensity of musculoskeletal pain and reduction in work ability. It is necessary to adopt intervention measures in the organizational structure, so as to promote/restore work ability.

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Published

2012-12-01

Issue

Vol. 20 No. 6 (2012)

Section

Original Articles

License

RLAE’s authorship concept is based on the substantial contribution by each of the individuals listed as authors, mainly in terms of conceiving and planning the research project, collecting or analyzing and interpreting data, writing and critical review. Indication of authors’ names under the article title is limited to six. If more, authors are listed on the online submission form under Acknowledgements. The possibility of including more than six authors will only be examined on multicenter studies, considering the explanations presented by the authors.
Including names of authors whose contribution does not fit into the above criteria cannot be justified. Those names can be included in the Acknowledgements section.
 Authors are fully responsible for the concepts disseminated in their manuscripts, which do not necessarily reflect the editors’ and editorial board’s opinion.

 

How to Cite

Magnago, T. S. B. de S., Lima, A. C. S. de, Prochnow, A., Ceron, M. D. da S., Tavares, J. P., & Urbanetto, J. de S. (2012). Intensity of musculoskeletal pain and (in) ability to work in nursing . Revista Latino-Americana De Enfermagem, 20(6), 1125-1133. https://doi.org/10.1590/S0104-11692012000600015