Abstract:
Background Factors influencing work-related musculoskeletal disorders might differ in developing and devel oped countries.
Aims To assess the prevalence and determinants of musculoskeletal pain in four occupational populations
in Sri Lanka.
Methods As part of the international Cultural and Psychosocial Influences on Disability study, samples of
postal workers, sewing machinists, nurses and computer operators were interviewed about pain at
each of six anatomical sites in the past month, and about possible physical and psychosocial risk fac tors. Associations with prevalent pain were assessed by binomial regression.
Results Analysis was based on 852 participants (86% response rate). Overall, the lower back was the most
common site of pain, with 1-month prevalence ranging from 12% in computer operators to 30% in
nurses. Postal workers had the highest prevalence of shoulder pain (23%), but pain in the wrist/hand
was relatively uncommon in all four occupational groups (prevalence rates ranged from 8% to 9%).
Low mood and tendency to somatize were consistently associated with pain at all six sites. After
adjustment for psychosocial risk factors, there was a higher rate of low back pain in nurses and pos tal workers than in computer operators, a higher rate of shoulder pain in postal workers than in the
other occupational populations, and a relatively low rate of knee pain in computer operators.
Conclusions Rates of regional pain, especially at the wrist/hand, were lower than have been reported in Western
countries. As elsewhere, pain was strongly associated with low mood and somatizing tendency.
Differences in patterns of pain by occupation may reflect differences in physical activities
