PREVALENCE OF WORK-ACQUIRED MUSCULOSKELETAL DISEASES AND ASSOCIATED RISK FACTORS AMONG NURSING PROFESSIONALS IN PALESTINIAN HOSPITALS

Abstract

Background: Work-related musculoskeletal disorders are common complaints among staff and workers in the different workplaces. The study aimed to investigate the prevalence of work-acquired musculoskeletal diseases among nursing professionals in Palestinian governmental hospitals Method: A descriptive cross-sectional design was conducted between, 20th April to 20th June 2024. A convenient sampling technique was used to select the study sample. The Nordic General Musculoskeletal Symptoms Questionnaire was distributed to a sample of 260 nurses in hospitals in the northern West Bank. Self-administered questionnaire verified in both Arabic and English languages Result: The results indicated that there was a statistically significant relationship at a p-value of 0.05 between (age, educational level, duration of work, and work pressure) and the prevalence of diseases of the musculoskeletal system, while there was no statistically significant relationship between (gender, workload, and exercise habits) and the prevalence of musculoskeletal diseases among nurses in Palestinian hospitals. Back pain is most common, and (46.5%) of them suffered from neck pain. (44.6%) of nurses faced a problem due to a musculoskeletal condition during the past 7 days. Conclusion: These findings suggest that musculoskeletal diseases among nursing professionals in the selected Palestinian hospitals arise predominantly from work-related physical and organizational risk factors.