Interactions between work-related factors, perceived fatigue and musculoskeletal disorders among handicraft artisans: structural equation model analysis

Abstract

The cross-sectional study aimed to investigate the relationship between work-related factors, perceived work fatigue (PWF) and musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) among handicraft artisans. 364 artisans participated in a questionnaire survey, and a structural equation model (SEM) was developed to explore the direct and indirect relationships between these factors using partial least squares analysis. The SEM explained 98.2% of the variance in MSDs and revealed that exposure to biomechanical factors had a direct impact on PWF and MSDs, with PWF mediating the effect of biomechanical factors on MSDs. Additionally, job demand was found to be positively associated with MSDs, while job control and social support reduced the risk of MSDs. The findings underscore the importance of strategic initiatives to mitigate the risk of developing MSDs among artisans. The study also highlights the potential of SEM as a novel framework for understanding the complex pathogenesis of MSDs in occupational health research.

Practitioner summary: The study sought to comprehensively examine the intricate relationships among work-related factors, PWF, and MSDs. To achieve this, an SEM approach was employed to capture both direct and indirect relationships between these factors, employing partial least squares analysis. Findings revealed SEM as an innovative framework for understanding the intricate development of MSDs.

Keywords:

• Ergonomics
• biomechanical factors
• psychosocial factors
• work fatigue
• occupational risk factors
• structural equation model

Acknowledgements

We would like to extend our deepest gratitude to all artisans without whom this study would not have been possible.

Author contributions

DD: conceptualisation, data curation and analysis, methodology, and writing—original draft. AKS: data analysis and validation and writing—reviewing and editing.

Ethical approval

All subjects gave their informed consent for inclusion before they participated in the study. The study was conducted in accordance with the Declaration of Helsinki, and the protocol was approved by institutional ethical review board.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.