Prevalence and factors associated with pain symptoms in professionals of the textile industry

Work has an important meaning in man's life, given it is the most important way for people to support themselves and it is also the only means in which they can feel useful, productive and valuable. However, when work is carried out under inappropriate conditions, it may cause different health injuries, such as muscle-skeletal pain, which is characterized by a multifactorial origin. Thus, a cross-sectional study was carried out aimed at analyzing the influence of sociodemographic factors, work and health conditions on pain symptoms in professionals of the textile industry. The sample comprised 162 sewing machine operators from ACT's (Community Association for the Development of Trairi) industrial division in Santa Cruz - RN, Brazil. After bivariate and multivariate analyses, we found an independent association between pain symptoms and variables such as female gender (p= 0.013), more than six months in the same occupation (p= 0.005), other health problems (p= 0.002), and working in a standing position (p= 0.001). The study identified a high prevalence of pain symptoms in textile industry professionals and a significant association with many work-related aspects and some sociodemographic and health factors, making an interdisciplinary, multiprofessional and intersectorial action necessary to promote positive interference in the work process and occupational health.

Occupational Health; Pain Symptoms; Textile Industry; Work-Related Musculoskeletal Disease; Worker's health