Work-related musculoskeletal disorders and associated factors among workers in Kombolcha Textile Industry, Northeast Ethiopia

One of the most significant occupational health issues in the textile industry is WMSDs. Nonetheless, there are significant data gaps in the field concerning workers in the textile industry, particularly in developing nations like Ethiopia. Closing this gap was the aim of this study. A cross-sectional study was conducted from March to April 2023 to determine the prevalence of WMSDs and related factors among Kombolcha textile industry workers. The data were gathered through the use of physical measurements and pretested, standardized Nordic Musculoskeletal Questionnaires. EPI Info version 7 and Stata version 14.0 were used for data entry and analysis, respectively. Potential risk factors for WMSDs were identified through the use of bivariate and multivariable logistic regression analysis. Adjusted odds ratios (AOR), with 95% confidence intervals and a P < 0.05 were used to assess the level of significance. Out of the 385 individuals, 163 (42.3%) were females, with a mean age of 29 ± 7.37 years. 237 (61.56%) of the 385 participants (95%CI: 56-66) had WMSDs in the past 12 months. The most common types of WMSDs were neck (31.4%), shoulder (25.7%), elbow (14.2%), hand/wrist (11.4%) and upper back (29.6%). Age (AOR: 4, 95% CI: 15-10.4), job satisfaction (AOR: 1.5, 95% Cl: 2.25-4.4), work shift (AOR: 2, 95% CI: 1.18-3.6), and work experience (AOR: 2.18, 95% CI: 1.35-3.5) were all strongly correlated with WMSDs. Strategies to improve training for preventing WMSDs and alter the contributing factors should be impacted by these findings. We encourage the public, businesses, and national governments to fully address WMSDs in order to lower worker mortality and increase productivity.