Psychological demands, low social support and repetitiveness: occupational factors associated with musculoskeletal pain in shoe industry workers

Abstract Introduction: musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) are a major public health problem, causing great physical and psychological suffering, work disability, and imposing heavy costs on workers and society. Objective: to analyze shoe industry workers, estimating the prevalence and factors associated with MSDs of the neck region and upper limb. Method: a cross-sectional study carried out with a stratified random sample of 446 workers interviewed with use of a questionnaire. Sociodemographic, lifestyle and occupational variables (physical and psychosocial demands) were measured. Factor analysis was applied on variables related to physical demands and multiple logistic regression was used to identify the factors associated with the outcome. Results: MSD prevalence in previous 12 months was 47.3% in the neck, shoulder or upper back (proximal extremities) and 37.4% in distal extremities. MSDs in proximal extremities were associated with psychological demand, low supervisor support, working time at the company (≥ 8 years) and female sex. MSDs in distal extremities were associated with psychological demand, low supervisor support, repetitive strain injuries and female sex. Conclusion: MSDs in upper limbs were highly prevalent in the shoe industry, with psychosocial demands having a significant role on their occurrence, whose control requires intervention on working conditions.