Factors Affecting Musculoskeletal Symptoms of Teachers in Child Care Centers / 한국직업건강간호학회지

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: This study was to explore factors affecting musculoskeletal symptoms of the child care centers' teachers in Korea. METHODS: This study was a descriptive research, using a cross-sectional survey. Convenience samples of 230 child care centers' teachers aged 20 to 65 were selected. A self-administered questionnaire was used to measure general characteristics, job-related characteristics, exercise habit, fatigue and musculoskeletal symptoms of the body parts. The data were analyzed with the SPSS/WIN 21.0 program. RESULTS: Shoulder pain (73.5%), low back pain (72.6%) and wrist/hand pain (57.8%) were the most common musculoskeletal symptoms. Shoulder pain significantly differed depending on the age of children in charge at the child care center (p<.047). The exercise habit was related to low back pain (p<.028) and the career was linked to wrist/hand pain (p<.046). The logistic regression analysis revealed exercise habit and fatigue were the risk factors on musculoskeletal symptoms of many body parts. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that interventions targeting the child care centers' teachers should be considered job-related characteristics and fatigue in order to prevent musculoskeletal disorder. Thus, there continues to be a need to develop exercise program for the child care centers' teachers.