MUSCULOSKELETAL PAIN IN PRIMARY CARE PROFESSIONALS DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC: MIXED METHODS STUDY<sup/>

Tamborini, Marcilene Marques de Freitas; Colet, Christiane de Fátima; Centenaro, Alexa Pupiara Flores Coelho; Souto, Eliane Nogueira de Souza; Andres, Alana Thais Gisch; Schultz, Carmen Cristiane; Silva, José Antonio Gonzales da

doi:10.1590/ce.v29i0.91903

Brasil

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ORIGINAL ARTICLE • Cogitare Enferm. 29 • 2024 • https://doi.org/10.1590/ce.v29i0.94735 linkcopy

MUSCULOSKELETAL PAIN IN PRIMARY CARE PROFESSIONALS DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC: MIXED METHODS STUDY^*

Authorship SCIMAGO INSTITUTIONS RANKINGS

ABSTRACT

Objective: To analyze musculoskeletal pain in primary care health professionals and their experience during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Method: A mixed-methods study carried out in southern Brazil between June 2021 and February 2022. A sample of 50 participants, using questionnaires related to pain and musculoskeletal symptoms and interviews with pre-prepared scripts. Data analysis using descriptive and inferential statistics and Thematic Content Analysis.

Results: Most of the nursing sector participants worked 40 hours a week. The most affected areas are the shoulders, upper back, and neck, ranging from moderate (42%) to severe (10%) pain. Statistically significant differences related to pain and fear of contracting COVID-19 between those with previous health problems and nurses.

Conclusion: Given that pain can be associated with working conditions, it is essential to identify risk factors to avoid further damage to workers’ health.

KEYWORDS: Musculoskeletal Pain; Health Personnel; COVID-19; Occupational Health; Primary Health Care.

HIGHLIGHTS

1. PHC professionals experience musculoskeletal pain related to work factors.

2. The demands of working during the pandemic have contributed to physical complaints.

3. The most frequently mentioned areas are the shoulders, upper back, and neck.

Musculoskeletal pain
Variables	n^* * n: Sample; †: Percentage; ‡ Fisher ‘s test for p<0.05.	n^* * n: Sample; †: Percentage; ‡ Fisher ‘s test for p<0.05.	%^†	Without Pain	Lightweight	Moderate	Intense	p-value
Sex	Female	44	88	9(20,5)	10(22,7)	20(45,5)	5(11,4)	0,14^‡
Sex	Male	6	12	1(16,7)	4(66,7)	1(16,7)	0(0)
Marital status She has children	Married Single Separated Stable union Yes No	30 7 3 10 37 13	60 14 6 20 74 26	5(16,7) 3(42,9) 5(33,3) 1(10) 7(18,9) 3(23,1)	11(36,7) 2(28,6) 0(0) 1(10) 10(27) 4(30,8)	11(36,7) 1(14,3) 2(66,7) 7(70) 16(43,2) 5(38,5)	3(10) 1(14,3) 0(0) 1(10) 4(10,8) 1(7,7)	0,36^‡ 0,96^‡
Profession	Nurse Nursing Technician Doctor Nutritionist Dentist Dental assistant	21 13 11 2 2 1	42 26 22 4 4 2	1(4,8) 4(30,8) 4(36,4) 1(50) 0(0) 0(0)	3(14,3) 4(30,8) 4(36,4) 1(50) 2(100) 0(0)	14(66,7) 4(30,8) 3(27,3) 0(0) 0(0) 0(0)	3(14,3) 1(7,7) 0(0) 0(0) 0(0) 1(100)	0,01^‡
Post-graduation	Yes	24	48	2(8,3)	5(20,8)	14(58,3)	3(12,5)	0,06^‡
Post-graduation	No	26	52	8(30,8)	9(34,6)	7(26,9)	2(7,7)
Health problem	Yes	24	48	2(8,3)	6(25)	11(45,8)	5(20,8)	0,03^‡
Health problem	No	26	52	8(30,8)	8(30,8)	10(38,5)	0(0)
Fear of contracting COVID-19	Yes	37	74	4(10,8)	12(32,4)	17(45,9)	4(10,8)	0,04^‡
Fear of contracting COVID-19	No	13	26	6(46,2)	2(15,4)	4(30,8)	1(7,7)
Total	50	100	10(20)	14(28)	21(42)	5(10)

Musculoskeletal pain		PDF^* * PDF: had problems such as pain, tingling/numbness in the last 12 months; †IAN: had an impediment to carrying out daily activities in the last 12 months; ‡CPS: consulted a health professional in the last 12 months; §PR: had problems such as pain, tingling/numbness in the last seven days; ǁn: sample.	IAN^†	CPS^‡	PR^§
Division of the body		n^ǁ (%)	n^ǁ (%)	n^ǁ (%)	n^ǁ (%)
	Neck	22(44)	5(10)	8(16)	10(20)
	Shoulders	27(54)	7(14)	9(18)	12(24)
	Upper back	24(48)	4(8)	6(12)	8(16)
	Elbows	3(6)	0(0)	1(2)	0(0)
	Fists or hand	12(24)	6(12)	1(2)	6(12)
	Lower back	17(34)	6(12)	7(14)	7(14)
	Hips/thighs	6(12)	2(4)	1(2)	2(4)
	Knees	7(14)	4(8)	2(4)	0(0)
	Ankles/feet	8(16)	4(8)	2(4)	5(10)

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Universidade Federal do Paraná Av. Prefeito Lothário Meissner, 632, Cep: 80210-170, Brasil - Paraná / Curitiba, Tel: +55 (41) 3361-3755 - Curitiba - PR - Brazil
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n: Sample; †: Percentage; ‡ Fisher ‘s test for p<0.05.

MUSCULOSKELETAL PAIN IN PRIMARY CARE PROFESSIONALS DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC: MIXED METHODS STUDY*

ABSTRACT

HIGHLIGHTS

MUSCULOSKELETAL PAIN IN PRIMARY CARE PROFESSIONALS DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC: MIXED METHODS STUDY^*