Global prevalence of musculoskeletal disorders among sanitary workers: a systematic review and meta-analysis

ABSTRACT

Objectives. Sanitary workers are more likely to experience musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) due to a lack of ergonomics principles and poor job design. Thus, this systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to quantify MSDs among sanitary workers. Methods. The PRISMA and PICOS protocols were used for flow diagrams and review questions, respectively. Articles published between 2000 and 2022 were eligible. The keywords ‘(Musculoskeletal Disorders) AND (Solid waste collectors *OR Street sweepers *OR Sewage workers *OR health facilities cleaners)’ and MeSH terms were utilized. The data were analyzed using STATA version 17 with a 95% confidence interval (CI). Results. A total of 158 papers were qualified, with 26 studies from 17 countries and a total of 6586 sanitary workers. The global prevalence of MSDs among sanitation workers was 40.52% (95% CI [32.47, 48.67]; p < 0.05). It was 43.32% (95% CI [31.98, 54.68]; p < 0.05) in high-income countries and 38.58% (95% CI [26.94, 50.18]; p < 0.05) in low-income countries. By subgroup analysis, it was 45.12% (95% CI [32.57, 57.67]; p < 0.05) for solid waste collectors, which is the highest prevalence among other workers. Conclusion. Current evidence shows that sanitation workers have a higher prevalence of occupationally associated MSDs, which might be lowered by using ergonomic work design principles.

KEYWORDS:

• global
• musculoskeletal disorders
• prevalence
• occupation
• safety
• sanitary workers

Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank their host, Haramaya University College of Health and Medical Sciences, for making all of the necessary arrangements for the research. Furthermore, the authors recognize international organizations such as Water Aid, the World Health Organization (WHO) and the International Labour Organization (ILO)for launching occupational health and safety services for all employees, particularly sanitary workers in low-income nations. Furthermore, they acknowledge all experts and writers whose works were freely accessed and used.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Data availability statement

The authors agree to place the data in a public repository that fulfills proper free access as well as archiving, citation and supplement information file criteria alongside the publication.