Prevalence and determinants of Musculoskeletal Disorders among quarry workers in The Gambia: a cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND

Musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) are common work-related conditions that affect the musculoskeletal system owing to poor ergonomic practices, overexertion, and repetitive motions. Globally, MSDs account for a significant proportion of disabilities due to the physical tasks and demanding nature of jobs. Despite global efforts to reduce occupational hazards, little information is available on MSDs among quarry workers in Gambia. Therefore, this study aimed to explore the prevalence of MSDs and their associated factors in quarry workers in Gambia.

METHODS

This study adopted an analytical cross-sectional design that was conducted in 2023. A total of 258 quarry workers were selected from 4 quarries in the West Coast Region. Participants were randomly selected and the Standardised Nordic Questionnaire (SNQ) was modified and used with additional structured questionnaires. Data were collected using the Kobo Collect App and analyzed using IBM SPSS version 27.0. Bivariate analysis was conducted using binary logistic regression, Pearson's chi-square test, point-biserial correlation, and Fisher's exact test to identify the association between predictors and outcome variables. Statistical significance was considered at a p-value < 0.05, and the significance was also reported using an adjusted odds ratio (aOR) with a 95% Confidence Interval (CI).

RESULTS

The study revealed a high MSD prevalence of 93% among quarry workers, with the most affected body parts being the lower back (90.3%), shoulders (68.1%), and upper back (61.3%). Significant associations were observed between MSDs and factors such as nationality (p = 0.048), job description (p = 0.047), BMI score (p < 0.001), periodic health examination (p = 0.031), years of experience (p = 0.029), health and safety training (p = 0.044), and lifting or carrying weights (p = 0.044). Quarry workers whose nationality was Gambian had 82.8% (aOR = 0.172; 95% CI = 0.048-0.619) reduced odds of sustaining MSDs when compared to respondents whose nationality was non-Gambian. Increasing years of experience had 15.0% (aOR = 0.850; 95% CI = 0.725-0.997), increase in hours of daily work had 40.3% (aOR = 0.597; 95% CI = 0.386-0.925), and increasing BMI score had 29.9% (aOR = 0.701; 95% CI = 0.584-0.841) reduction in the odds of sustaining MSDs. However, increasing household size among quarry workers had 1.26 (aOR = 1.261; 95% CI = 1.015-1.566) higher odds of sustaining MSDs.

CONCLUSION

This study underscores a critical public health concern with the high prevalence of MSDs among quarry workers in The Gambia, which is associated with poor ergonomic training and inadequate safety training. Reducing the burden of MSDs in this population requires interventions that focus on better working conditions, ergonomic training, and regular health evaluations.