TY - JOUR
T1 - Occupational stress and musculoskeletal symptoms in firefighters
AU - Soteriades, Elpidoforos S.
AU - Psalta, Lilia
AU - Leka, Stavroula
AU - Spanoudis, George
N1 - Funding Information:
Funding: this research was supported by the Cyprus Research Promotion Foundation (grant No. 0308/BIE/21 entitled “Epidemiology and management of occupational stress and musculoskeletal disorders in firefighters,” grant manager: George Spanoudis, Ph.D.). Received: September 16, 2017. Accepted: August 23, 2018. Corresponding author: Elpidoforos Soteriades, American Medical Center, Department of Occupational Medicine, 215 Spyrou Kyprianou Ave., 2047 Strovolos, Nicosia, Cyprus (e-mail: esoteria@hsph.harvard.edu).
Publisher Copyright:
© 2019 Nofer Institute of Occupational Medicine. All rights reserved.
PY - 2019
Y1 - 2019
N2 - Objectives: The aim of this study was to evaluate the potential association between occupational stress and musculoskeletal symptoms in firefighters. Material and Methods: Data were collected among Cypriot firefighters through a battery of adapted questionnaires completed anonymously. Results: A total of 430 firefighters (a response rate of 68%) completed the survey (the age range: 21-60 years). A total of 11% of firefighters reported moderate to extremely severe stress through the Copenhagen Psychosocial Questionnaire and Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale. A total of 40% of firefighters reported musculoskeletal symptoms, the most frequent being back pain. Multivariable-adjusted logistic regression models showed that occupational stress was associated with a 50% higher risk of musculoskeletal symptoms in firefighters after adjusting for age, smoking and obesity (OR = 1.52, p = 0.04). In addition, a positive dose-response relationship was found between occupational stress and musculoskeletal symptoms. Conclusions: Occupational stress constitutes a significant risk for firefighters and is associated with higher prevalence of musculoskeletal symptoms at work.
AB - Objectives: The aim of this study was to evaluate the potential association between occupational stress and musculoskeletal symptoms in firefighters. Material and Methods: Data were collected among Cypriot firefighters through a battery of adapted questionnaires completed anonymously. Results: A total of 430 firefighters (a response rate of 68%) completed the survey (the age range: 21-60 years). A total of 11% of firefighters reported moderate to extremely severe stress through the Copenhagen Psychosocial Questionnaire and Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale. A total of 40% of firefighters reported musculoskeletal symptoms, the most frequent being back pain. Multivariable-adjusted logistic regression models showed that occupational stress was associated with a 50% higher risk of musculoskeletal symptoms in firefighters after adjusting for age, smoking and obesity (OR = 1.52, p = 0.04). In addition, a positive dose-response relationship was found between occupational stress and musculoskeletal symptoms. Conclusions: Occupational stress constitutes a significant risk for firefighters and is associated with higher prevalence of musculoskeletal symptoms at work.
KW - Firefighters
KW - Musculoskeletal disorders
KW - Physical activity
KW - Psychosomatic stress
KW - Questionnaire survey
KW - Work-related stress
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U2 - 10.13075/ijomeh.1896.01268
DO - 10.13075/ijomeh.1896.01268
M3 - Article
C2 - 30938370
AN - SCOPUS:85068242317
SN - 1232-1087
VL - 32
SP - 341
EP - 352
JO - International Journal of Occupational Medicine and Environmental Health
JF - International Journal of Occupational Medicine and Environmental Health
IS - 3
ER -