ORIGINAL: Musculoskeletal Pain and Health-Related Quality of Life of Occupational Drivers in Southwest Nigeria

West Afr J Med . 2023 Feb 28;40(2):196-202

Abstract

Abstract  in English, French

Background and objective: Musculoskeletal pain (MSP) can be work-related and common among occupational drivers (OPDs). There is a scarcity of data on MSP among OPDs in Nigeria. This study therefore determined the 12-months prevalence and the influence of socio-demographic factors on the prevalence of MSP and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) of OPDs in Ogbomosho, Oyo State.

Methods: A total 120 occupational drivers participated in the study. The Nordic Musculoskeletal Questionnaire (NMQ) was used to measure the prevalence and pattern of MSP and the Medical Outcome Study (MOS), a 36-item short form version 1.0 of the Research and Development (RAND) to measure HRQoL. The data was analysed using descriptive statistics of mean, standard deviation, and frequency. A chi-square test with a significance level of p ≤ 0.05 was used to determine the relationship between variables.

Results: Mean age was 46.55±9.21 years. Musculoskeletal pain occurred in 85.8% of the drivers, with the shoulder and neck being most common. In 64.2% of the cases, the health-related quality of life score was higher than the national average. A significant association occurred between MSP and years of experience (p = 0.049). Significant associations occurred between HRQoL and age (p = 0.037), marital status (p = 0.001), and years of experience (p = 0.002). There was a significant association between MSP and HRQoL (p = 0.001).

Conclusion: The prevalence of MSP was high among the OPDs. There was a significant association between MSP and HRQoL among OPDs. Sociodemographic factors play a significant influence on the HRQoL of drivers. Occupational drivers should be educated on the risks and dangers involved with their occupation and the steps they can take to improve their quality of life.

Keywords: Health-related quality of life; Musculoskeletal pain; Occupational drivers.

A K Jimoh ¹, J T Jimoh ², T O Akinola ³