The relationship between psychosocial risk factors and musculoskeletal disorders amongst nurses in Malta

Abstract

This study explores the relationship between psychosocial risk factors and musculoskeletal disorders amongst nurses in Malta. Psychosocial risk factors include factors that workers are exposed to, like excessive job demands, ambiguity in their role within the organisation, lack of job control, lack of support from management and colleagues, lack of information about changes at the workplace and the culture and climate of an organisation. Musculoskeletal disorders and pain include any musculoskeletal pain or injuries that workers may have suffered due to exposure at their workplace. The study, which was cross-sectional and made use of quantitative research methods, was done amongst nurses that work in public hospitals, health centres and elderly homes. Although not planned, the questionnaire was disseminated during the COVID-19 pandemic. A total of 144 nurses participated in this research. The questionnaire was based on the “The General Nordic questionnaire for Psychological and Social Factors at Work [QPS Nordic 34+]” and “The Nordic Musculoskeletal Questionnaire”. The results in this study indicate that nurses are exposed to a medium risk level of psychosocial job demands, a positive orientated organisational culture and climate, a medium level of information about change at the workplace and a medium to high level of support from colleagues and supervisors. Whereas lower back pain was found to be, the most prevalent musculoskeletal pain amongst the participants. Inferential statistics showed a number of correlations between individual psychosocial risk factors and different body sites with musculoskeletal pain. Finally a correlation was also found between perceived stress and multi body site musculoskeletal pain.