本研究目的在於估計護理人員身體各部位肌肉骨骼症狀之盛行率,並探討常見肌肉骨骼症狀相關之因子。本研究針對938位來自中部15所醫院女性護理人員進行有關自訴肌肉骨骼症狀、處理方式,以及可能原因等資料之自填問卷調查。本研究發現:66.4%(95%信賴區間(Cl) =63.4%-69.4% )的研究對象以下背肌肉骨骼症狀為其主要或次要之主訴症狀,居盛行率首位。盛行率居次與第三之肌肉骨骼症狀部位分別為小腿及肩部,其盛行率分別為50.2% (95% Cl=47.0%-53.4%)與25.8%(95% Cl=23.0%-28.6%)。約有九成受訪者自認造成本身肌肉骨骼症狀之原因來自於工作中必要的姿勢及移動,或導因於工作中休息時間不足,但多數研究對象認為這些症狀不至影響其正常之工作。此外,與人口學、工作史、以及工作/生活型態變項相比較,工作姿勢相關之變項與上述部位肌肉骨骼症狀之相關性較大。本研究建議未來應進行分析性流行病學來探討造成護理人員肌肉骨骼症狀之危險因子,以利擬定預防發生肌肉骨骼症狀之有效措施。此外,未來研究也應針對長時間經歷肌肉骨骼症狀,是否會造成日後更嚴重之健康損失進行探討。
This study is to estimate the prevalence of musculoskeletal disorders and explore factors that might correlate with the disorders in hospital nurses. We employed a cross-sectional survey of 938 (a response rate of 92.3%) female nurses randomly selected from nurses of 15 hospitals in central Taiwan. A modified Nordic musculoskeletal questionnaire was administered to the study participants between July and September of 1998. Each study participant reported two major site-specific disorders from which the site-specific prevalence of musculoskeletal disorder was estimated. Demographic variables, work and lifestyle characteristics, and job content were analyzed in relation to the site-specific prevalence of musculoskeletal disorders. We found that the highest prevalence of musculoskeletal disorder (66.4%, 95% confidence interval (CI)=63.4%-69.4%) was present at low back, which was followed by calf (50.2%, 95% CI=47.0%- 53.4%) and shoulder (25.8%, 95% CI = 23.0% - 28.6%). Nearly 90% of the study participants considered their musculoskeletal disorders work-related. Multivariate analyses further suggest a stronger association of the prevalence of musculoskeletal disorders with job content than with other potential correlates. We suggest further analytical epidemiological studies be carried out to explore factors that may causally link the risk of common musculoskeletal disorders. These studies may contribute to the formulation of future preventive measures for reducing musculoskeletal disorders in hospital nurses.