ABSTRACT OBJECTIVE: To identify musculoskeletal symptoms among workers from a food service of a public cardiologic hospital located in São Paulo, Brazil. METHOD: A cross sectional study was carried out in 2007, by applying questionnaires to 115 workers (89% of total staff). The instrument was based on the Nordic Questionnaire on Musculoskeletal Symptoms by Kuorinka et al. (1987), for identification of any kind of pain or discomfort related to work, its location, type of complaint, and frequency, intensity, and duration of symptoms. RESULTS: The workers' average age was 37 ± 9.8 years, 81% were women, and 58% had high-school level. They had been working in the hospital for 9.3 ± 7.5 years, on a 40-hour week schedule. Most (89%) of the subjects reported pain or discomfort related to work during the last 12 months, mainly in lower limbs (65%). Other parts of the body mentioned by the workers were: shoulders (55%), lumbar region (39%), cervical region (37%), wrist/hands/fingers (29%), spine (28%), forearm (28%), and elbows (10%). The movements made while walking or carrying loads were the most reported cause of symptoms (31%). CONCLUSION: The study found a high prevalence of musculoskeletal symptoms among workers from the hospital food service, mainly in lower limbs and shoulders. It is recommended that future studies include assessment of environment and worker's activities.
hospital food service; work related musculoskeletal disorders; WMSD; occupational health
