Work-related musculoskeletal disorders and associated factors among bank workers in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia: a cross-sectional study

BACKGROUND@#Work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSDs) are dramatically increased in the world due to the advancement of technology and competitiveness of markets. There were limited studies carried out regarding WMSDs among bank workers in Africa particularly in Ethiopia. Therefore, the aim of this study was to assess the magnitude of work-related musculoskeletal disorders and associated factors among bank workers in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.@*METHODS@#Institution-based cross-sectional study design was employed in the study. Multi-stage sampling techniques were used to select 838 bank workers from 62 banks in Addis Ababa. Self-administered standard Nordic questionnaires were used as well. Multivariable binary logistic regression analyses were employed to identify factors associated with WMSDs. Moreover adjusted odds ratio (AOR), 95% confidence interval (CI) and p value < 0.05 was used to show the strength of association between explanatory variables and dependent variable.@*RESULTS@#Out of 838 total numbers of participants, 755 bank workers returned their questionnaires responding with a rate of 90%. Of these, 77.6% (N = 586) suffered WMSDs with a 95% CI [75-81%]. Based on the final multivariate logistic regression analysis being female [AOR = 2.98, 95% CI 1.91-4.65], sitting back in a twisted position [AOR = 3.59, 95% CI 2.13-6.08], sitting back bent [AOR = 4.06, 95% CI 2.48-6.66], work on fixed position [AOR = 1.78, 95% CI 1.17-2.71], no work time break [AOR = 3.33, 95% CI 1.44-7.71], type of chairs [AOR = 2.62, 95% CI 1.19-5.75] and job stress [AOR = 2.33, 95% CI 1.19-4.54] were factors significantly associated with WMSDs.@*CONCLUSION@#From the study's findings, the magnitude of work-related musculoskeletal disorders among bank workers was high. Being female, awkward posture, no work time break, fixed position, type of chairs, and job stress are the factors significantly associated with WMSDs. So bank workers should use proper types of chairs, practice proper work posture, increase healthy working conditions, and create awareness programs on how to maintain beneficial health conditions which may lead to increased leisure time.

Dinheiro / Money

O presente artigo trata da natureza do dinheiro como expressão da busca por liberdade pessoal em meio à interdependência econômica real entre os agentes econômicos, imposta pela divisão social do trabalho. Trata da busca de poder por meio de sua acumulação no capitalismo e das diferentes corporificações a que, dentro dessa vertente, o dinheiro foi se conformando ao longo da história. Com especial ênfase no crédito bancário e no sistema de bancos que o emitem, amparados na construção de uma mecânica de compensação de pagamentos que os enlaçou num mesmo sistema para sustentar a sobrevida dessa última forma de dinheiro, o próprio crédito. Forma de dinheiro com a qual convivemos nos dias atuais, sem nos darmos conta disso. O artigo procura mostrar também como esse sistema bancário se entrelaçou ao Estado, em proveito próprio, insuflando à sociedade, por meio da mídia, ideias que a mantém alheia a essa percepção.

This article considers the nature of money as an expression of man's quest for personal freedom in a context characterized by the real economic interdependence among economic agents, imposed by the social division of labor. It also considers the quest for power through the accumulation of money in capitalism, and the various embodiments of money through history. Special emphasis is given to bank credit and the banking system that issues it, supported by the construction of a mechanism of payment compensation. This mechanism has woven the banks into a system built to sustain the survival of this last form of money, i.e., the credit itself, with which we coexist today, without realizing it. The article also seeks to show how the banking system has become closely interconnected with the State, and how it profits from this link, spreading into society, via the media, ideas that prevent society from perceiving its true nature.

A ciranda do dinheiro / The financial merry-go-round

Os mecanismos do dinheiro são centrais nas nossas sociedades, mas há um profundo desconhecimento de como funcionam. Neste texto introdutório, descrevemos alguns dos mecanismos mais significativos, em particular como se dá a sua apropriação, e como esta apropriação leva a deformações da economia em geral, em particular nesta fase de financeirização do planeta. Terminamos o artigo com referências à globalização financeira e aos paraísos fiscais.

Money plays such an important part in the economy and in our lives, yet the knowledge of its workings is impressively limited. In this short text, we describe some of the more significant mechanisms, particularly concerning who has more access to it, and how this access leads to an overall deformation of our economies, in this era of financial turmoil. We end the paper with a reference to financial globalization and tax havens.

Dilemas pessoais no trabalho imaterial bancário / Personal dilemmas in the banking immaterial labour

Visando destacar e analisar a vivência de dilemas pessoais ante a lógica do trabalho imaterial bancário, a presente pesquisa exploratória de orientação qualitativa aliou o suporte teórico oferecido, principalmente, por Bauman, Sennett e Gaulejac ao campo empírico referente ao trabalho bancário. A coleta de dados deu-se por meio da realização de entrevistas individuais semiestruturadas e de grupos focais, que somaram um total de 38 sujeitos da pesquisa. Analisados à luz da literatura pertinente, os resultados indicam que a vivência de dilemas pessoais no trabalho imaterial bancário está relacionada ao medo da incompetência e estigma de perdedor, ao nomadismo involuntário, à captura e dominação do tempo de vida, à corrida individualizada para o mérito, ao medo da estagnação profissional e à saúde na precarização das relações de trabalho.

The present qualitative exploratory research aims to analyze the experience of personal dilemmas in the context of banking immaterial labor. The theoretical support is mainly offered by Bauman, Sennett and Gaulejac. The data collection method used was semi-structured individual interviews and two focus groups, all counting 38 participants. The results were analyzed according to the pertinent literature and they indicate that personal dilemmas in the banking work are related to fear of incompetence stigma; to the involuntary nomadism; to the fact that work captures and dominates time after work; to competition for merit; fear of professional stagnation; and to health conditions under precarious labor relations.