Prevalence, Pattern and Correlates of Work-Related Musculoskeletal Pain among Selected Primary School Teachers in Ibadan Nigeria

Abstract

Background and Objectives: Teachers have been identified as one ofthe occupational groups that are at risk of developing workrelated musculoskeletal pain (WRMSP). However, this has not been previously documented among teachers in Nigeria. This study investigated the 12-month prevalence, pattern, and socio-demographic and occupational factors associated with WRMSP among public and private primary school teachers in a Local GovemmentArea in Ibadan, Nigeria.

Methods: Six hundred and seventy-nine teachers recruited consecutively from S4 public and private primary schools in Ibadan North Local Government Area participated in this study. A self-developed validated questionnaire and the standardized Nordic questionnaire were used to collect information on the socio-demographic and occupational characteristics as well as information on WRMSP. Data was summarized using mean and standard deviation, frequency and percentages. The association among variables was determined with Chi square analysis. Level of significance was set at O.OS.

Results: The 12-month prevalence ofWRMSP was 78.8% in females and 21.2% in males. Majority (78.9%) of the participants reported WRMSP in at least one body part. Neck pain (36.1 %) was the most commonly reported WRMSP followed by low back (34.9%), knee (34.8%) and shoulder (32.8%). There was no significant association between reported WRMSP and each of the socio-demographic and occupational factors.

Conclusion: Work-related musculoskeletal pain, especially at the neck is highly prevalent among primary school teachers in Ibadan North Local GovemmentArea ofOyo State. It is higher in female teachers than their male counterparts. Socio-demographic and occupational factors did not significantly associate with WRMSP among the primary school teachers