Prevalence and Factors Associated with Musculoskeletal Disorders among Thai Burley Tobacco Farmers
Issued Date
2022-06-01
Resource Type
ISSN
16617827
eISSN
16604601
Scopus ID
2-s2.0-85131083764
Pubmed ID
35682367
Journal Title
International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health
Volume
19
Issue
11
Rights Holder(s)
SCOPUS
Bibliographic Citation
International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health Vol.19 No.11 (2022)
Suggested Citation
Kongtawelert A., Buchholz B., Sujitrarath D., Laohaudomchok W., Kongtip P., Woskie S. Prevalence and Factors Associated with Musculoskeletal Disorders among Thai Burley Tobacco Farmers. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health Vol.19 No.11 (2022). doi:10.3390/ijerph19116779 Retrieved from: https://repository.li.mahidol.ac.th/handle/20.500.14594/85823
Title
Prevalence and Factors Associated with Musculoskeletal Disorders among Thai Burley Tobacco Farmers
Author's Affiliation
Other Contributor(s)
Abstract
This cross-sectional analysis study aimed to identify the prevalence and factors associated with musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) among Thai Burley tobacco farmers. Subjects included 603 burley tobacco farmers from Sukhothai province. Farmers were interviewed twice, (during planting and harvesting seasons), with a questionnaire consisting of demographic and health char-acteristics, musculoskeletal symptoms, and ergonomic exposure questions. The subjects average age was 49.5 years, more were female (58.5%), most had only a primary education (74.3%), 38% were overweight or obese. Farmers had a significantly higher prevalence of MSDs in the lower back (37.1%), knee (28.7%), shoulder (22.9%), wrist (19.9%), and hip (8.3%) during the harvesting season than in the planting season (p < 0.05). Models found that factors influencing MSDs prevalence during planting included long work hours in seedling, tasks such as topping tobacco plants, and using machine tools, after controlling for age, gender, and body mass index (BMI). While in the harvesting season, models found tasks conducted as a group had lower MSDs prevalence than individual work when carrying fresh tobacco to the barn, piercing/threading and curing the leaves, baling the bundles, and transporting the finished goods. We recommended working in groups to reduce workload and MSDs, especially during harvesting, in burley tobacco farming.