Occupational-Related Upper and Lower Extremity Musculoskeletal Pain Among Working Population of Ethiopia: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Abstract

Background: Currently, work-related musculoskeletal disorders are a significant public health concern and are a leading cause of disability-adjusted life years and reduced quality of life worldwide. In developing countries, including Ethiopia, as a result of poor occupational health and safety practices and underreporting of the problems, work-related musculoskeletal disorders have been increased, remaining less prioritized, and there is no adequate evidence on the prevalence of musculoskeletal disorders. Thus, the current study aimed to determine and provide the overall prevalence of occupational-related upper and lower extremity musculoskeletal pain among the working population of Ethiopia. Methods The current study considered full-text articles conducted in Ethiopia, written in English, and published from 2017 to 2020. Ten electronic databases: PubMed/MEDLINE, Web of Science, SCOPUS, Google Scholar, MedNar, Embase, CINAHL, Cochrane Library, African Index Medicus, and African Journals Online database were used to search the articles using a combination of Boolean logic operators (AND, OR, and NOT), Medical Subject Headings, and main keywords. The quality assessment of the articles was performed using the Joanna Briggs Institute Critical Appraisal tools to determine the relevance of the article to the current study. Results: Of the 1377 articles identified from the included electronic databases, 12 studies were included in the systematic review and meta-analysis. The study found that the pooled prevalence of occupational-related elbow pain, wrist/hand pain, knee/leg pain, foot/ankle pain, and hip/thigh pain in the previous one year was 19.7% (95% CI: 12.3, 30.1), 24.2% (95% CI: 17.4, 32.7), 25.0% (95% CI: 18.5, 32.8), 20.2% (95% CI: 12.8, 30.4), and 15.5% (95% CI: 9.9, 23.4), respectively. Based on a subgroup analysis, the last year’s pooled prevalence of occupational-related elbow, wrist/hand, knee/leg, foot/ankle, and hip/thigh pain was increased to 33.7% [95% CI: 31.9, 35.5], 29.7% [95% CI: 28.2, 31.2], 31.5% [95% CI: 29.9, 33.2], 30.6% [95% CI: 29.0, 32.4], and 27.3% [95% CI: 25.5, 29.2], respectively. Conclusion: Occupational-related musculoskeletal disorders continue to have a potential impact on workers’ health and productivity. The current study found that the overall pooled prevalence of occupational-related upper and lower extremity musculoskeletal disorders in the last year ranged from 15.5 to 33.7%. Implementing occupational health and safety measures play an important role in preventing work-related musculoskeletal disorders and other occupational hazards.

The Prevalence of Musculoskeletal Pain in Africa: An Overview of Systematic Reviews With Meta-Analysis Including More Than 100 Distinct Primary Studies

“…(Mengistu et al, 2022) Wrist and/or hand pain: the pooled annual prevalence of wrist and/or hand pain was: 24.2% (95%CI 17.4-32.7%), I 2 = 97.10% (k= 10, N= 4,294, specific country: Ethiopia) ( Figure 8 ). (Mengistu et al, 2022) Knee and/or leg pain: the pooled annual prevalence of knee and/or leg pain was: 25.0% (18.5-32.8%), I 2 = 96.54% (k= 10, N= 4,252, specific country: Ethiopia) ( Figure 9 ). (Mengistu et al, 2022) Foot and/or ankle pain: the pooled annual prevalence of foot and/or ankle pain was: 20.2% (12.8-30.4%), I 2 = 98.06% (k= 10, N= 4,252, specific country: Ethiopia) ( Figure 9 ).…”

“…(Mengistu et al, 2022) Foot and/or ankle pain: the pooled annual prevalence of foot and/or ankle pain was: 20.2% (12.8-30.4%), I 2 = 98.06% (k= 10, N= 4,252, specific country: Ethiopia) ( Figure 9 ). (Mengistu et al, 2022) Hip and/or thigh pain: the pooled annual prevalence of foot and/or ankle pain was: 15.5% (9.9-23.4%), I 2 = 92.7% (k= 9, N= 3,830, specific country: Ethiopia) ( Figure 9 ). (Mengistu et al, 2022)…”

“…(Mengistu et al, 2022) Hip and/or thigh pain: the pooled annual prevalence of foot and/or ankle pain was: 15.5% (9.9-23.4%), I 2 = 92.7% (k= 9, N= 3,830, specific country: Ethiopia) ( Figure 9 ). (Mengistu et al, 2022)…”

“…Only low back pain(Jegnie & Afework, 2021; Kasa et al, 2020; Mengistu et al, 2021; Morris et al, 2018; Tesfaye et al, 2023) have been specifically meta-analyzed for more than one review. Furthermore, the review of Mengistu et al 2022(Mengistu et al, 2022) combined different musculoskeletal body areas in the same meta-analysis (e.g., wrist and/or hand pain). Regarding the African population, some meta-analyses combined adult and non-adult populations, whereas other meta-analyses were focused on specific populations such as nurses(Kasa et al, 2020) or schoolteachers.…”

“…(Hartvigsen et al, 2018) However, a large number of primary evidence has been revised and meta-analyzed focusing on assessing the prevalence of musculoskeletal pain in African countries, mainly Ethiopia, Nigeria, and South Africa. (Jegnie & Afework, 2021;Mengistu et al, 2021Mengistu et al, , 2022Morris et al, 2018) Therefore, it is time to carry out an overview of systematic reviews that synthetizes and critically analyzes the strengths and weaknesses of these reviews to show the status of musculoskeletal pain in Africa, which is essential to redefine the politics and clinical priorities to reduce the impact of musculoskeletal pain in the African population. Therefore, this overview of reviews aims to summarize and critically analyze the point, annual, and lifetime prevalence of musculoskeletal pain in African countries, based on the inclusion of systematic reviews with meta-analyses.…”