Biopsychosocial Associated Disorders Among Workers Exposed to Ergonomic stressors

Background: The biopsychosocial model is an explanatory framework that recognizes the importance of psychological and social factors in determining how workers with musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) cope with their conditions. The occupational health professionals should assess the interplay between the biological e.g. Musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs), the psychological e.g. anxiety, depression and the social e.g. work demands and drug abuse. Objectives: To find out the proportion of anxiety and or depression among the studied groups, to find out the proportion of drug abusers among the examined cases with MSDs and suffering anxiety and or depression. Subjects & Methods: Case - control study was conducted. 171 workers with MSDs (cases) and another 171 were selected (controls). Both groups were subjected to interview sheet to assess general characteristics, workplace ergonomic status, anxiety and or depression disorders, factors determined drug abuse and types of drug abuse. Results: 22.8% and 2.9% of cases and controls were suffering depression respectively. 26.9% and 3.5% of cases and controls were suffering anxiety respectively. 71.9% and 19.9% of cases and controls were abusing tramadol respectively while 34.5% and 45.6% of both groups were abusing Cannabinoids respectively. Conclusion: cases with work related MSDs might be complicated with anxiety and or depression and might develop drug abuse as a result of interaction between the chronic pain of MSDs, unsafe ergonomic workplace and continuous work load.