FACTORS ASSOCIATED WITH BACK PAIN SYMPTOM OF CASSAVA FARMERS

Abstract

          Cassava farmers are exposed to various health risks factors along cassava production stages, especially ergonomic risks factors. They often work with awkward and repetitive postures leading to musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs). This study aimed to investigate the relationship between personal, job, and working posture factors, and back pain of cassava farmers in Klonghinpoon Subdistrict, Wangnamyen District, Sakaeo Province. This study was conducted with 103 cassava farmers by using a questionnaire and musculoskeletal symptoms questionnaire adapted from a standard Nordic questionnaire. It was found that almost of cassava farmers are males (71.05 %) with the age of ³ 51 years old (31.1%). Most of the sample (56.3%) graduated from elementary school, and almost all (95.1%) had working hours per day of £ 8. Mostly, their awkward working postures included hunched-back sitting (90.3%), prolonged (>3 hr) sitting (90.3%), back bending (87.4%), and bag lifting (82.5%). The musculoskeletal symptoms in the past 12 months reported by themselves were found mostly at the lower back (95.1%), upper back (91.3%) and at shoulders (80.6%). In addition, in the past 7 days, musculoskeletal symptoms were also found mostly at lower back (88.3%), upper back (87.4%), and shoulders (66.0%). The statistical analysis revealed the factors that significantly associated with back pain symptoms were education level (p<0.01), working hours per day (p<0.01), hunched-back sitting (p<0.05), prolonged (>3 hr) sitting (p<0.05), back bending (p<0.01), and bag lifting (p<0.01).