This research is to grasp the realities and factors that affect musculoskeletal disease of nursing caregivers in elderly nursing homes, and to use the results as basic data for improving their working environment and preventing musculoskeletal diseas...
This research is to grasp the realities and factors that affect musculoskeletal disease of nursing caregivers in elderly nursing homes, and to use the results as basic data for improving their working environment and preventing musculoskeletal disease.
The data was collected by conducting questionnaire survey to nursing caregivers who work at 12 elderly nursing homes in Daegu·Gyeongbuk. The survey was conducted form March 2011 to April that year. Except for false reply and 10 replies from people who were diagnose as the sick, 277 replies were analyzed by using SPSS 18.0 statistical program.
General feature, working environmental feature, level of workload, level of workload through job analysis, musculoskeletal symptoms were analyzed, and for analysis musculoskeletal symptoms, questionnaire for musculoskeletal symptoms by KOSHA(Korea Occupational Safety&Health Agency) was used.
Logistic regression analysis about factors related to musculskeletal symptoms and its prevalence according to general feature and working environmental feature is judged by the standard of occupational musculoskeletal disease of US NIOSH, which is 'one or more consistent symptoms(ache, twinge, feeling heavy, hot, numbness or sore) at joint area of the upper limbs(neck, shoulder, elbow, and wrist) should be existed at least for more than a week or at least once a month for the last year. And at the same part of body, there should not have been similar disease and history of accident, and when the symptoms start from current occupation'.
88.8% said that they were suffering from musculoskeletal symptoms, and one's disease-prone part of body was neck, shoulder, waist, hand/wrist/finger, arm/elbow, leg/foot in order.
According to the result of level of workload among 22 works according to job analysis, supporting bath(33.6%) was ranked at the first, helping wards to urine and feces(20.2%) was ranked at the second, and maintenance & laundry(18.1%) was ranked at the third.
According to the result of survey about the level of workload, 91.7% said that their duty was extremely repetitive, 93.9% said that their work needs much of physical labor, 75.8% said that they often have to carry or move heavy stuff for the work, 49.8% said that they often have to work long in uncomfortable body position, and 35.4% said that there are no accessory equipments and convenient facilities for their work.
Musculoskeletal symptoms related to general features showed significant differences according to one's sex, age, marital status and academic background. Also, in relation to working environmental features, there was significant difference according to one's working more or less than 40 hours in a week and existence of break during the work hour(P<0.05).
About the level of workload in relation to working environmental features, there was significant differences according to one's working more or less than 40 hours in a week, the number of wards in charge a day(nighttime), existence of break during the work hour, and existence of separate rest-zone(P<0.05).
Logistic regression analysis for the musculskeletal symptoms by NIOSH standard was done. Community callege graduates in educational level, working hour more than 40 hours in a week, the level of workload was significant variable for musculskeletal symptoms.
Ache is subjective symptoms and there may be individual differences, 88.8% replied that they are having musculoskeletal symptoms, and the symptoms are analyzed to be mostly caused by work and labor. So for more objectivity, clinical diagnosis is needed, and efforts for investigating and reducing harmful factors that can cause musculoskeletal symptoms are also needed.