Work-related musculoskeletal injuries in formal caregivers of Portuguese rest home of elderly.

Background: The formal caregiver is the professional who provides healthcare to the elderly person in carrying out tasks that they are unable to carry out independently with personal care, daily activities, and general well-being. These professionals are exposed to a variety of factors that can contribute to the development of work-related musculoskeletal disorders.

Objective: The aim of this study was to determine the epidemiology of work-related musculoskeletal disorders in formal caregivers of rest homes of the elderly in the central-southern regions of Portugal and the associated risk factors.

Methods: The sample consisted of 251 formal caregivers from Santas Casas da Misericórdia, of which 228 (90.8%) were female, aged between 21 and 65 years old. The measuring instrument consisted of a digital questionnaire.

Results: The majority of caregivers (186, or 74%) reported experiencing work-related musculoskeletal disorders over the past 12 months, accounting for 374 reported cases. Specifically, 143 (71.9%) caregivers encountered 255 work-related musculoskeletal disorders in this period. The overall injury proportion was 0.72, and the injury rate was 0.12 injuries/1,000 h of work. The most common types of work-related musculoskeletal disorders included low back pain (64 cases, 26.8%), non-specific pain (52 cases, 21.8%), and tendinopathy (51 cases, 21.3%). The primary locations of these disorders were lumbar spine (82 cases, 34.3%), shoulder (42 cases, 17.6%), and cervical spine (26 cases, 10.9%). The leading mechanisms of injury were transfers (164 cases, 35.6%) and repetitive movements (139 cases, 30.2%). Additionally, the female formal caregiver had 3.8 times (95%CI 1.1-12.3; p=0.029) the likelihood of developing work-related musculoskeletal disorders compared to their male counterparts.

Conclusion: Data from this study revealed a high work-related musculoskeletal disorders presence in formal caregivers, with women presenting a higher risk of developing injuries. The development of prevention programs is necessary to improve work performance and the health of these professionals.