Prevalence of Work-Related Musculoskeletal Disorders among Nurses: A Meta-Analysis

Weige  Sun; Lishi  Yin; Tianqiao  Zhang; Huixin  Zhang; Ran  Zhang; Weixin  Cai

doi:10.18502/ijph.v52i3.12130

Weige Sun Nursing Department, Beijing Tiantan Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
Lishi Yin Department of Hepatology, Chongqing Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chongqing, China
Tianqiao Zhang The Second Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, China
Huixin Zhang Nursing Department, Beijing Tiantan Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
Ran Zhang Nursing Department, Beijing Tiantan Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
Weixin Cai Nursing Department, Beijing Tiantan Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China

DOI: https://doi.org/10.18502/ijph.v52i3.12130

Keywords: Nurse; Work; Musculoskeletal disorders; Prevalence

Abstract

Background: Work-related musculoskeletal diseases (WMSDs) have a greater negative impact on nurses' physical and mental health. However, the epidemiologic characteristics of nurse WMSDs are unclear, and the reported prevalence of WMSDs varies widely. The aim of this meta-analysis was to provide a quantitative synthesis of WMSDs’ prevalence in nurses and estimate the pooled prevalence of its.

Methods: The PubMed, ScienceDirect, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, EMBASE, CINAHL, Ovid, WANFANG, VIP, China Knowledge Integrated, and CBM databases were searched for relevant studies. The retrieval period extended from database initiation to Mar 2022. After data extraction and quality assessment, a meta-analysis was performed using the Stata 16.0 software package.

Results: Overall, 42 articles were included, yielding a total sample size of 36,934. The annual prevalence of WMSDs among nurses was found to be 77.2% (95% confidence interval: 0.725-0.819). The three anatomical areas with the highest prevalence of WMSDs among nurses were the lower back (at 59.5%), neck (at 53.0%) and shoulder (at 46.8%). Nurses in developed countries have a higher prevalence of WMSDs than those in developing countries.

Conclusion: There was currently moderate evidence to suggest a high prevalence of WMSDs in nurses. National policies should aim to reduce their prevalence in this population.