The impact of tendonitis and RSI/WMSD on HRQoL according to gender: a population based study

Abstract

Background Repetitive Strain Injury (RSI)/Work-related Musculoskeletal Disorders (WMSD) and tendonitis are considered a serious problem in the area of Occupational Health. The present study aims to estimate the prevalence of these disorders on the adult population of a metropolis in the state of São Paulo and to analyze their impact on Health-Related Quality of Life (HRQoL), according to gender. Methods A population-based cross-sectional study was conducted using data from the “Campinas City Health Survey (ISACamp 2014/15)”. The sample consisted of 2,166 individuals aged 18 years or older and the SF-36 instrument was used for HRQoL analysis. The association between the variables was verified by the chi-square test and the Poisson simple and multiple regression models were used to estimate the prevalence ratios (PR). In HRQoL estimates, the average SF-36 scores were calculated according to the independent variables. Results The prevalence of tendonitis and RSI/WMSD was 8.5%, with 6.7% tendonitis and 2.7% RSI/WMSD. The prevalence was higher among women (11%; 1.34-2.56), on individuals aged between 40-59 years (PR = 3.63; 2.28-5.80), who were on occupational activity (PR = 2.04; 1.12-3.68) or on work leave (PR = 7.07; 2.77-18.03) and on the most educated (PR = 2.45; 1.28-4.70). Subjects with these morbidities decreased in 6 of the 8 HRQoL domains and on stratification by gender, we observed that women had greater decreases in mental component scores in the presence of RSI/WMSD and men in physical component (p < 0.05). Conclusions The diseases analyzed can affect men and women differently, and it is essential to consider the peculiarity of the impact between the sexes in the elaboration of interventions and preventive measures aimed at improving the quality of life. Key messages No population-based studies were found that assess the impact of RSI/WMSD on HRQoL, according to gender differences, showing the relevance of this study. It is very important to understand how these diseases affect men and women differently so that specific and more effective preventive and rehabilitative measures can be carried out.