Prevalence of self-perceived musculoskeletal pain and its association with gender in teleworkers of the management team of a Venezuelan food manufacturing company

Peer-reviewed article
Submitted: 18-05-2023
Revised: 01-06-2023
Accepted: 20-07-2023
Published: 21-07-2023
Editor: Prof. Dr. Carlos Oscar Lepez, https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3423-6049

Abstract

Objective: To determine the prevalence of self-perceived musculoskeletal pain and its association with gender in teleworkers of the management team of a Venezuelan food manufacturing company.
Methods: A quantitative, field, descriptive, and cross-sectional study was conducted in a population of 243 workers and a sample of 182 workers. The survey was used as a data collection technique, and the questionnaire was developed using Google Forms® as an instrument.
Results: The age range was between 20 and 73 years, with a mean of 45.8±9.1 years. Women (43.0%) had more than 10 years of seniority, a lower percentage than that observed among men (50.0%). Regarding self-perceived pain, (92.59%) of women reported more pain than men (81.68%); the probability of presenting neck pain in this group was (85.8%). In contrast to men (38.93%), 69.14% of the women self-perceived right shoulder pain; the probability of presenting right shoulder pain in the sample studied was 50%. Concerning upper back pain (48.15%) of the women and 33.59% of the men, the probability of presenting upper back pain was 39.2%. The mean total musculoskeletal pain or discomfort score was 59.13 for women and 39.94 for men.
Conclusion: There was a statistically significant association between self-perceived pain in certain areas of the body and female gender for exposure to disergonomic risk factors.