Qom University of Medical Sciences Journal

Background and Objectives: Occupational musculoskeletal injuries are among the greatest problems of staff occupational health. Job stress is one of the important causes of musculoskeletal disorders. The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between rate and sources of job stress with low back, shoulder, and neck pains in the staff of one hospital in Tehran city.

Methods: This research was conducted as a descriptive-analytical study on 264 individuals (out of 700 individuals) of the staff of one hospital in Tehran city (2014). The samples were selected randomly. To collect the data, personal-occupational information, rate and sources of job stress, and Music questionnaires, were used, which had appropriate reliability and validity. Data analysis was performed using t-test.

Results: In this study, the mean occupational stress among the staff was 20.55 and a majority of subjects (66.7%), were compatible in terms of stress levels. The frequency of low back pain was more than other parts of the body. Half (48.9%) of the staff suffered from low back pain and the remaining (26.1%) suffered from shoulder pain and 25% had neck pain. There was a significant relationship between rate and sources of job stress. Also, there was a significant difference between rate and sources of job stress with low back, shoulder, and neck pains.

Conclusion: The results of this study indicated that the prevalence of musculoskeletal disorders is very high in stressful jobs, and chronic and severe pain in the staff is associated with severe disability and low quality of life. Therefore, intervention programs for the prevention of musculoskeletal disorders, should be focused on physical and psychological needs of employees as well as job stress management.