THE IMPACT OF ERGONOMIC EXPOSURES ON THE OCCURRENCE OF BACK PAIN OR DISCOMFORT: RESULTS FROM THE FIRST WORKING CONDITIONS SURVEY IN QUITO-ECUADOR

Abstract

This article determines the prevalence of back pain or discomfort in the working population of Quito, the capital city of Ecuador, and examines its association with ergonomic exposures. A cross-sectional study based on data from the First Working Conditions Survey of Quito-Ecuador (364 women and 377 men) was performed. Overall, 56% of women and 43.5% of men reported back pain. Moreover, a gradient from upper to lower job categories was found for both sexes, especially among women. Among both sexes, back pain and discomfort were significantly associated with awkward, manual handling, repetitive movements and prolonged sitting or standing. The strongest associations were found among women. Therefore, monitoring ergonomic exposures and developing special programs for addressing back disorders are needed.