Fatores de riscos para distúrbios osteomusculares relacionados ao trabalho entre uma população do interior nordestino análise do modelo de equações estruturais

Abstract

Several diseases are caused by exposure to risks at work, such as work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSDs). MSDs refer to a set of lesions in muscles, nerves, tendons, and joints, and can affect various parts of the body, both in the upper and lower limbs, impacting the quality of life of workers and economic and social aspects of countries. However, there is a lack of studies addressing these perspectives in the lower regions. Due to this, this study aimed to investigate the relationship of risk factors on lower limbs (thigh, leg, and foot) by applying the structural equation model (SEM). For this, the investigated population was composed of workers from 26 different entities (distributed in the areas of education, health, industries, and commerce), located in the cities of Delmiro Gouveia - AL and Paulo Afonso - BA, with a total sample of 420 workers. The data collected was related to four factors: sociodemographic, occupational, biomechanical, and psychosocial; besides the self-reported symptoms of the lower limbs. With the results coming from logistic regression models on the risk factors that influence the development of MSDs, the most significant factors were weighted for the construction of the structural equation model (SEM) through the construction of hypotheses, tested in multiple link contexts. The results showed a direct link between the employment of awkward lower limb positions and the occurrence of symptoms in all three lower regions; an indirect relationship between psychosocial factors and MSDs, mediated by psychosocial stress; the intensive use of hands, fingers, and hand tools was pointed out as one of those responsible for the employment of awkward lower limb positions; the factors "co-workers' support" and "excessive commitment" acted indirectly on the attenuation and extenuation of symptoms in the thigh, respectively; "age" had a direct influence on the emergence of symptoms in the leg; and the factors "effort" and "physical demands" influence directly on MSDs in the foot. It can be concluded that the results pointed to significant links between the risk factors and their influence on the workers' perceived symptoms of MSDs in the lower limbs. The hypotheses raised confirmed the multifactorial origin of the causers (risk factors) of thigh, leg, and foot pain, providing an understanding of the complex relationship between workplace risk factors in backwoods workers and lower limb MSDs.