Abstract
Introduction:
thoracic spine pain concerns cumulative trauma involving poor posture, repetitive motion, and long periods of time in the same position.
Objective:
to assess the prevalence of thoracic spine pain and associated factors in tobacco tobacco farmers in southern Brazil.
Methods:
cross-sectional study whose association between the outcome and the sociodemographic and behavioural factors, work activities, workloads and comorbidities were examined using the Wald heterogeneity and linear trend tests. Multivariate analysis was performed using a hierarchical model and Poisson regression with robust variance.
Results:
the study comprised 2,469 individuals of both genders. Prevalence of thoracic spine pain was 21.2%. Cleaning equipments used to apply pesticides, number of episodes of green tobacco sickness, respiratory symptoms and minor psychiatric disorders were positively associated with the outcome in both genders. Smoking and pesticide poisoning were associated factors with the outcome in women, whilst schooling and lifting sticks with tobacco leaves for curing were associated with men.
Conclusions:
ergonomic restructuring, reduction of workload, position switches during work shift and mechanization of work process are important strategies to reduce exposure to nicotine, pesticides, and ergonomic workload.
Keywords:
occupational health; spine; tobacco; cumulative trauma disorders; farmers