Socio Demographic and Occupational Risk Factors as Determinants of Musculoskeletal Disorders among Women in Unorganized Sectors

Introduction: Informal sectors provide employment opportunities to women to a large extent. . Musculoskeletal discomforts (MSD) have been reported in majority of the informal sectors which needs specific attention. The present study aims to identify the socio demographic, individual and occupational risk factors that contribute to the MSDs. Methods: A cross sectional survey of 693 women employed in three different units namely dyeing, fish processing and food processing units was carried out. A pretested interview schedule was used to collect data and details of MSD were gathered adapting Nordic questionnaire. Data was analyzed using chi square, ANOVA and binary logistic regression to identify the confounding factors contribution to MSDs. Results: The mean age of the participants was 33.46±13.20 years. The mean work experience was 11±10.96 years. Bivariate logistic regression analysis indicated that work experience had higher Odds (2.3; CI =1.1- 4.4) for neck discomfort. Low back pain for women above 45 years was likely to occur 5 times more when compared to women below 25 years of age (OR=5.1; CI=1.73 to 15.58). Work experience had higher odds (3.39; CI=1.5-7.2) for discomforts in legs. The sector in which the women were employed contributed to higher level of MSD. Work hours exceeding 8 hours also was one of the contributing factors for MSD.Conclusion: The study highlights the impact of age, work hours, years of work on prevalence of MSD among women. Ergonomic workspaces can minimize the rate of MSDs among women in informal sectors