Assessment of Prevalence of Neck Pain and Related Factors in Nurses Working in a University Hospital

Abstract

Objective: The aim of this study was to assess the presence of neck pain, which is one of the most common musculoskeletal disorders in nurses, in terms of different work environments, and also to assess the possible relationships of ergonomic, demographic, and psychological factors on their neck pain. Materials and Methods: Female nurses from our university hospital that worked in outpatient clinics, wards and intensive care units were included in this cross-sectional study. It was carried out between February and July 2020 in different departments of our university. Patient demographics as well as duration and characteristics of neck pain, Short form-36 (SF-36) questionnaire scores were recorded. Results: A statistically significant relationship was found between units that the subjects worked in and emergence of neck pain due to the presence of triggering factors such as computer use, heavy lifting and the presence of neck pain for the last month (p<0.05). The presence of neck pain in the previous month was found to be statistically correlated with presence of comorbid diseases (p<0.05), while no statistically significant relationship was found between fatigue, stress, education level, marital status and presence of neck pain (p<0.05). Conclusion: Musculoskeletal pain is reported to be common in healthcare workers. Nurses are also known to be among the occupational groups at serious risk for painful conditions. Lack of proper working conditions and lifestyle are among the causes of neck pain in nurses. In our study, a statistically significant relationship was found between neck pain and conditions that are not suitable for ergonomics such as prolonged computer exposure and heavy lifting.

Keywords

• computer usage
• neck pain
• nurses
• occupational disease
• stress