Lower extremity pain, physical and psychological demands in urban cleaning workers: a cross-sectional study

Abstract

Objective:

to describe the characteristics of the urban cleaning workers’ job and investigate the prevalence and factors associated with pain in their lower limbs.

Methods:

cross-sectional study carried out in Bahia, Brazil. Data collected between 2009 and 2010. Pain was assessed using the Nordic Musculoskeletal Questionnaire, while psychosocial demands at work were measured using the Job Content Questionnaire. Physical demands were also evaluated, including general postures and cargo handling. We used multiple logistic regression analysis to identify factors associated with lower limb pain.

Results:

624 workers participated. There was a high prevalence of pain in the lower limbs in the last seven days (23.7%) and in the last twelve months (42.1%), being higher among cleaning workers and collectors. Lower limb pain was associated with the following: longer than three years working for the company (OR = 1.34); high exposure to cargo handling (OR = 1.35); psychological demand at work (OR = 1.87); and poor physical conditioning (OR = 1.67). Working at urban cleaning involved great physical overload, being produced under time pressure.

Conclusion:

The results evidenced the need for measures to reduce cargo handling and changes in work organization, including breaks during the day and adjusting tasks to the available time, in order to avoid workers’ physical and psychological overload.

Keywords:
pain; occupational exposure; lower extremity; urban cleaning; occupational health