Musculoskeletal Disorders of Emergency Medical Services Personnel and Their Associations With Job Content: A Cross-sectional Study

Background: Musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) are among the significant concerns in occupational health and ergonomics, with high prevalence across various professions worldwide. Among the jobs that are exposed to these injuries are emergency medical workers. Job content is a crucial psychosocial scale among job psychosocial scales that plays an important role in controlling work-related stress. This study aimed to determine the relationship between job content and MSDs among operational emergency medical services (EMSs) personnel in Working Qazvin Province, Iran, in 2021. Materials and Methods: This analytical cross-sectional study was conducted on 163 operational EMSs personnel in Qazvin. Sampling was done through a census method, covering 38 emergency bases in Qazvin, 2021. Data were collected using a three-part questionnaire: A demographic characteristic, the job content questionnaire, and the extended Nordic musculoskeletal questionnaire. Data analysis was performed using descriptive statistics (mean, standard deviation, percentage, and frequency) and inferential statistics (simple and multiple logistic regression [LR]) in SPSS, software, version 16. Results: In the study, the job content scores for operational EMS personnel in Qazvin were measured across several dimensions: decision latitude/control (69.20±6.90), skill utilization (35.90±4.33), and decision authority (33.30±4.89). Psychological job demands averaged 34.74±4.80, while social support scores from supervisors and coworkers were 21.57±4.68, 9.87±3.21, and 11.67±2.09, respectively. Physical job demands, physical effort and isometric load, as Job contents instrument subscales, were recorded at 16.04±2.17, 10.20±1.36, and 5.84±1.27. Job insecurity had a mean score of 7.82±1.16. Notably, a significant relationship was identified between social support and the prevalence of MSDs, with the highest incidences occurring in the lower back and neck regions. The findings indicate a strong correlation between job content and MSDs among the personnel, with statistical significance (P<0.001). Conclusion: The study concluded a direct relationship between job content and MSDs among operational EMS personnel. Some other factors were social support and body mass index. It is suggested that future studies should examine job content and musculoskeletal injuries in various populations, with interventions based on predictive factors of these disorders.