Occupational and Individual Factors for Musculoskeletal Pain in the Automotive Industry

Nowadays, with the highly competitive industrial environment, new challenges are faced that increased the pressure on workers to improve productivity, with psychosocial factors playing a key role in the development of musculoskeletal pain. The aim of this study was to estimate the association of occupational factors (biomechanical and psychosocial factors) and individual factors with musculoskeletal symptoms in the shoulder, wrist/hand, and low back. A cross-sectional study was conducted involving assembly workers in an automotive industry (n = 147). The Copenhagen Psychosocial Questionnaire was used to characterize the psychosocial factors and the Nordic Musculoskeletal Questionnaire was used to collect musculoskeletal data. Biomechanical risk factors were extracted from ergonomics assessments using the Ergonomic Assessment Worksheet method. Odds ratios with 95% confidence intervals were calculated using logistic regression and all estimates were adjusted for sex, age, and seniority. Biomechanical factors were associated with musculoskeletal symptoms. Several psychosocial dimensions were significantly associated with the occurrence of musculoskeletal pain. Being male and over 40 years old was shown to be protective against the onset of musculoskeletal symptoms. Of the different determinants assessed, the psychosocial risk factors were those most related with self-reported musculoskeletal pain of workers on an automotive assembly line.