Characterization of Musculoskeletal Disorders of Agricultural Workers in Puerto Rico

Agricultural workers are constantly exposed to injuries and at risk of developing musculoskeletal disorders (MSD). With an estimated population of 30,000 agricultural workers in Puerto Rico, it is necessary to study the health conditions of this group to develop ergonomics, safety and health prevention programs. Our work integrates data from medical records and an adaptation of the Nordic Modified questionnaire responses as a mixed methods approach. Medical records of 4,686 patients were analyzed to compare the type and frequency of MSD diagnostics among agricultural and non-agricultural workers. Findings show that agricultural workers had a higher median number of MSD diagnostics than non-agricultural workers. The four most common MSD diagnosis for agricultural workers were pain in the low back, neck, shoulders, and right knee. Questionnaire data shows that over 60% of the agricultural worker sample reported lower back and shoulder pain. A statistical model using Random Forest algorithm showed that, based on the level of pain described in the questionnaire, pain can be attributed to a combination of factors, including body area, age, years of experience, and academic degree.

VIVO