Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Musculoskeletal disorders among staff in South Korea’s largest nursing home

  • Original Article
  • Published:
Environmental Health and Preventive Medicine Aims and scope

Abstract

Objectives

Although musculoskeletal disorders (MSD) represent a significant occupational issue for most nursing home staff, few epidemiological studies have been conducted in Korea.

Methods

We investigated the prevalence of, and risk factors for, MSD within South Korea’s largest nursing home using a previously validated, self-reporting questionnaire.

Results

From a total of 130 registered employees, 91 (70.0%) successfully completed questionnaires were obtained. The majority were female (80.2%, n=73), with an age range of 27 to 62 years and an average age of 47.0 years (SD 8.0). MSD occurred in varying amounts and was classified into distinct categories depending on body site. The most commonly affected region was the shoulder (reported by 35.2%), followed by the arm (22.0%), knee (20.9%) and lower back (19.8%). Three statistically significant risk factors were consistently identified among all 4 MSD sites: manually handling patients (OR 5.1 to 20.8), changing a patient’s clothes (OR 6.7 to 30.1) and working as a nursing aide (OR 3.7 to 74.3).

Conclusions

Overall, the present results suggest that employment within a South Korean nursing home incurs certain hazards depending on job description and daily work tasks. The MSD prevalence differed from other occupations within South Korea and previous nursing home studies.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Ando S, Ono Y, Shimaoka M, Hiruta S, Hattori Y, Hori F, Takeuchi Y. Associations of self estimated workloads with musculoskeletal symptoms among hospital nurses. Occup. Environ. Med. 2000; 57: 211–216.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  2. Fujimura T, Yasuda N, Ohara H. Work-related factors of low back pain among nursing aides in nursing homes for the elderly. J. Occup. Health 1995; 37: 89–98.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. Burdorf A, van der Beek A. Exposure assessment strategies for work-related risk factors for musculoskeletal disorders. Scand. J. Work Environ. Health. 1999; 25: suppl. 4: 25–30.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  4. Trinkoff AM, Storr CL, Lipscomb JA. Physically demanding work and inadequate sleep, pain medication use, and absenteeism in registered nurses. J. Occup. Environ. Med. 2001; 43: 355–363.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. Wakui T. Study on work load of matrons under shift work in a special nursing home for the elderly. Ind. Health 2000; 38: 280–288.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. Wakui T, Shirono S, Takahashi S, Fujimura T, Harada N. Physical activity, energy expenditure and work intensity of care-workers on shift work in a special nursing home for the elderly. J. Occup. Health 2002; 44: 8–14.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  7. Hui L, Ng GYF, Yeung SSM, Hui-Chan CWY. Evaluation of physiological work demands and low back neuromuscular fatigue on nurses working in geriatric wards. Appl. Ergonomics 2001; 32: 479–483.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  8. Shimaoka M, Hiruta S, Ono Y, Yabe K. Relationship of task strain and physical strength to end-of-work fatigue among nurses at social welfare facilities. J. Occup. Health 1995; 37; 227–233.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. Engels JA, van der Gulden JWJ, Senden TF, Hertog CAWM, Kolk JJ, Binkhorst RA. Physical work load and its assessment among the nursing staff in nursing homes. J. Occup. Med. 1994; 36: 338–345.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  10. Engels JA, van der Gulden JWJ, Senden TF, van’t Hof B. Work related risk factors for musculoskeletal complaints in the nursing profession: results of a questionnaire survey. Occup. Environ. Med. 1996; 53: 636–641.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  11. Collins JW, Owen BD. NIOSH research initiatives to prevent back injuries to nursing assistants, aides, and orderlies in nursing homes. Am. J. Ind. Med. 1996; 29: 421–424.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  12. Lusted MJ, Carrasco CL, Mandryk JA, Healey S. Self reported symptoms in the neck and upper limbs in nurses. Appl. Ergonomics 1996; 27: 381–387.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  13. Ono Y, Lagerström M, Hagberg M, Lindén A, Malker B. Reports of work related musculoskeletal injury among home care service workers compared with nursery school workers and the general population of employed women in Sweden. Occup. Environ. Med. 1995; 52: 686–693.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  14. Ljungberg AS, Kilbom A, Hägg GM. Occupational lifting by nursing aides and warehouse workers. Ergonomics 1989; 32: 59–78.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  15. Korean Ministry of Health and Welfare Website. www.mohw.go.kr/english

  16. Kim S. The role of women in health care in Korea’s social transition. Image: J. Nurs. Schol. 1984; 16: 99–101.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  17. Ha MN, Paek DM, Cho SH, Kang DH, Kwon HJ. Reliability of questionnaire for evaluating ergonomic exposure in occupational epidemiological studies. Korean J. Occup. Med. 1997; 9: 659–670 [in Korean].

    Google Scholar 

  18. Kim JY. The ergonomic evaluation of low back pain of the manual lifting workers. Korean J. Occup. Med. 1998; 10: 343–361 [in Korean].

    Google Scholar 

  19. Park SK, Choi YJ, Moon DH, Chun JH, Lee JT, Sohn HS. Work related musculoskeletal disorders of hairdresser. Korean J. Occup. Environ. Med. 2000; 12: 395–404 [in Korean].

    Google Scholar 

  20. Yun MH, Lee YG, Eoh HJ, Lim SH. Results of a survey on the awareness and severith assessment of upper-limb workrelated musculoskeletal disorders among female bank tellers in Korea. Int. J. Ind. Ergonomics 2001; 27: 347–357.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  21. Kim SL, Cho TR. Industrial fatigue and low back pain of the nurses in general hospital. Korean. J. Occup. Health Nursing 1999; 8: 162–168. [in Korean].

    Google Scholar 

  22. Smith DR, Atkinson R. Ergonomic problems self-reported by workers in a nursing home in Queensland, Australia. Ergonomics Aust. 2001; 15: 14–19.

    Google Scholar 

  23. Smith DR, Guo YL, Lee YL, Chang SJ. Ergonomic and demographic issues reported by palliative care workers in southern Taiwan. Am. J. Hosp. Palliat. Care 2002; 19: 96–102.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  24. Kaergaard A, Andersen JH, Rasmussen K, Mikkelsen S. Identification of neck-shoulder disorders in a 1 year followup study. Validation of a questionnaire-based method. Pain 2000; 86: 305–310.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  25. Kuorinka I, Jonsson B, Kilbom A, Vinterberg H, Biering-Sørensen F, Andersson G, Jørgensen K. Standardised Nordic questionnaires for the analysis of musculoskeletal symptoms. Appl. Ergonomics 1987; 18: 233–237.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  26. Baron S, Hales T, Hurrell J. Evaluation of symptom surveys for occupational musculoskeletal disorders. Am. J. Ind. Med. 1996; 29: 609–617.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  27. Harber P, Billet E, Gutowski M, SooHoo K, Lew M, Roman A. Occupational low-back pain in hospital nurses. J. Occup. Med. 1985; 27: 518–524.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  28. Larese F, Fiorito A Musculoskeletal disorders in hospital nurses: a comparison between two hospitals Ergonomics 1994; 37: 1205–1211.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  29. Smedley J, Egger P, Cooper C, Coggon D. Manual handling activities and risk of low back pain in nurses. Occup. Environ. Med. 1995; 52: 160–163.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  30. Alcouffe J, Manillier P, Brehier M, Fabin C, Faupin F. Analysis by sex of low back pain among workers from small companies in the Paris area: severity and occupational consequences. Occup. Environ. Med. 1999; 56: 696–701.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Health Sciences Faculty of Medicine, University of Yamanashi, Tamaho, 409-3898, Yamanashi, Japan

    Derek Richard Smith & Zentaro Yamagata

  2. Faculty of Sciences, The University of Southern Queensland, Toowoomba, Australia

    Derek Richard Smith

  3. Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, Graduate School of Public Health, Korea University, Seoul, Korea

    Derek Richard Smith, Jae-wook Choi & Myung Ki

  4. Department of Preventive Medicine. College of Medicine, Korea University, Seoul, Korea

    Myung Ki

  5. Institute for Occupational and Environmental Health, Korea University, Seoul, Korea

    Jae-young Kim

Authors
  1. Derek Richard Smith
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Jae-wook Choi
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Myung Ki
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Jae-young Kim
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Zentaro Yamagata
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Derek Richard Smith.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Smith, D.R., Choi, Jw., Ki, M. et al. Musculoskeletal disorders among staff in South Korea’s largest nursing home. Environ Health Prev Med 8, 23–28 (2003). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02897940

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02897940

Key words

Search

Navigation