MUSCULOSKELETAL DISORDERS OF HAND IN HEALTHCARE WORKERS: A CROSS-SECTIONAL STUDY

Abstract

Musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) of the hand negatively affect the hand's functionality and lead to long periods of sick leave. MSDs of hand are associated with work absences and productivity loss more than other Musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs). The study aimed to assess the discomfort of hands in healthcare workers (HWs) and the relationship between demographics and discomfort. 217 HWs selected randomly in the Trakya University Hospital from Dec. 2019 to Feb. 2020 participated in this cross-sectional study. The study was carried out through a questionnaire for sociodemographic characteristics and Cornell Hand Discomfort Questionnaires for MSDs. SPSS v.24.0 software was used to analyze the data. The most common discomfort scores were in the right-hand wrist (1.79), right-hand thumb joint, right-hand thumb (1.65), left-hand wrist (0.86), and left-hand (index, middle, half ring) (0.87), and left-hand thumb (0.80) areas respectively. Right-hand discomfort scores were relatively higher than left-hand. While an association was detected between the level of education, years of work, and MSDs of hand, there was no relation with gender, marital status, or profession. The findings from the study indicate MSDs of hand among HWs. Further research is recommended to detect the prevalence and prevention of MSDs of hand on HWs.