Prevalence, pattern, and factors associated with work-related musculoskeletal disorders among pluckers in a tea plantation in Tamil Nadu, India.

CONTEXT: Musculoskeletal pain is common among tea leaf pluckers and is attributed to the load they carry, long working hours, the terrain, and insufficient job rotations. As a result of this, their health and work capacity are affected.

AIMS: To assess the prevalence, patterns, and factors associated with work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WRMDs) among pluckers in a tea plantation in Annamalai, Tamil Nadu, India.

SETTINGS AND DESIGN: This cross-sectional study surveyed 195 pluckers selected by simple random sampling aged between 18 years and 60 years.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: The interview schedule had four parts--sociodemographic detail, Standard Nordic Scale, numeric and facial pain rating tool, and a tool to assess factors associated with WRMDs.

STATISTICAL ANALYSIS USED: Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 16.

RESULTS: Prevalence of musculoskeletal pain in the last 12 months and the last 7 days was 83.6% and 78.5%, respectively. The most common site for last 1 year was shoulder (59%) and for last 7 days was the lower back (52.8%). Independent t-test revealed that the mean age of those with pain was 6.59 year more and mean years of employment was 1.38 years more among the workers with pain compared to workers without pain. Increasing morbidities among workers was also significantly associated with an increase in WRMDs on Chi-square test.

CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of musculoskeletal pain was high among tea pluckers and the most common site during the last 12 months and the last 7 days was the shoulder and lower back respectively was mild in character. Increase in age and duration of employment was associated with WRMDs.