Abstract:
Background: Muscular skeletal disorders, are common in housemaids and have a negative
impact on their quality of life and productivity at work. Interventions targeted at lowering
these difficulties might be guided by knowledge of prevalent complaints and related factors.
Objectives: This study aimed to explore the common musculoskeletal complaints among
housemaids. Methodology: A cross-sectional study was conducted involving 100 housemaids
from the Savar area using convenience sampling. Data were collected through structured
questionnaires and analyzed using descriptive statistics in SPSS 25. The prevalence of
musculoskeletal pain, its severity, and associated factors were examined. Including chi-square
tests to determine associations between variables. Results: The mean age of participants was
33.36 years, with 50% aged between 30-39 years. The majority (87%) were married and had
only completed primary education (62%). The study revealed that 54% of housemaids
engaged in sweeping, 50% worked in a sitting position, and 58% worked 3-4 hours per day.
The most common musculoskeletal complaints were lower back pain (25%), shoulder pain
(16%), and thigh pain (13%). Chi-square tests indicated no significant association between
work hours (p=0.372), and significantly relation with age (p=0.001), or work posture
(p=0.001) with musculoskeletal complaints, suggesting other factors may contribute to pain.
Conclusion: The findings underscore the high prevalence of musculoskeletal pain among
housemaids, particularly in the lower back and shoulder areas. Despite the absence of
significant associations with work hours and significantly relation with age, or posture, the
results highlight the need for targeted interventions such as ergonomic training and health
education to mitigate musculoskeletal disorders. Future research with larger and more
representative samples is recommended to further explore these associations and develop
effective prevention strategies.
Keywords: Musculoskeletal Disorders, Housemaids, Musculoskeletal pain.
Total word count:10343
Description:
This dissertation is submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Degree of Bachelor of Science in Physiotherapy, Bangladesh Health Professions Institute, Faculty of Medicine, the University of Dhaka, Bangladesh.
