# Quality of life and chronic musculoskeletal disorders: a multifactorial study of the impacts on the health of office workers

## TL;DR

Office workers often suffer from chronic musculoskeletal disorders, which significantly affect their quality of life, particularly in physical and social domains.

## Contribution

This study identifies wrist-hand and lower back disorders as key factors impacting quality of life in office workers.

## Key findings

- 186 out of 256 office workers reported chronic musculoskeletal disorders, mainly in the neck and lower back.
- Wrist-hand disorders were linked to worse overall quality of life, physical, and environmental domains.
- Lower back disorders correlated with poorer social domain quality of life scores.

## Abstract

Office workers are at higher risk of musculoskeletal disorders due to
prolonged sitting and repetitive movements, impacting their quality of life
and generating costs for employers, healthcare systems, and social
security.

To investigate the presence of chronic musculoskeletal disorders and their
correlation with quality of life among employees at a federal higher
education institution.

A descriptive study based on an approved ethics committee database.
Participants included 256 workers who worked 20 hours/week in office
settings and provided sociodemographic data, chronic musculoskeletal
disorder assessments (Nordic Musculoskeletal Questionnaire), and quality of
life evaluations (WHOQOL-Bref). Quality of life scores were compared using
Pearson’s correlation test, with a significance level of 95% (p <
0.05).

The median age was 39 years, with a female majority (66.3%), married (62.3%),
and holding a college degree (98%). Of the total, 186 (72.6%) reported
chronic musculoskeletal disorders, primarily in the neck and lower back.
Wrist-hand disorders were associated with worse overall quality of life
scores, as well as physical and environmental domains, while lower back
disorders correlated with poorer social domain scores.

Despite being young adults, most participants had disorders in multiple body
regions; however, only wrist-hand symptoms were significantly correlated
with worse overall quality of life. The adoption of health education
measures is recommended to mitigate and prevent these conditions.