Work-related musculoskeletal disorders among Nigerian police force

Abstract

Background: Work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSDs) have become a cause for concern in both the developed and developing countries. Objective: To determine the prevalence of WMSDs among the Nigerian Police Force in Maiduguri. Methods: A total of 253 police officers participated in this cross-sectional study. Modified Nordic Questionnaire was administered to assess the WMSDs of the participants. Descriptive statistics of mean, standard deviation, frequency, and percentages were used to describe the data, while the differences in the prevalence of WMSDs by sociodemographic characteristics and occupational factors were tested with Chi-square statistics. Results: The 12-month prevalence of WMSDs was 80.6%. Lower back was the most commonly affected body region with 74.1%. About 71% of police officers had a gradual onset of WMSDs. A majority of the participants (56.6%) identified working in the same position for a long period as the most common risk factor for WMSDs. Significant difference in the 12-month prevalence of WMSDs was found among police officers of different age groups (χ2 = 7.85; P= 0.002), years of working experience (χ2 = 10.05; P= 0.007), and hours spent at work per day (χ2 = 9.87; P= 0.007). Conclusion: There was a high 12-month prevalence of WMSDs among the police officers with the lower back being the most commonly reported body region. The prevalence of WMSDs was associated with higher age, higher working experience, and longer working hours/day. There is the need to integrate ergonomic education in the training of police officers to prevent/reduce the occurrence of WMSDs among this population.