Tobacco use and skeletal muscle disorders in linemen of Hormozgan ElectricDistribution Company

Background: Smoking has harmful effects on the health of the musculoskeletal system, andconsidering to the nature of linemen's job that are exposed to occupational, physical andpsychological stressors in the workplace, this study aimed at investigating the prevalence ofsmoking and hookah use and skeletal muscle disorders among the linemen working in theelectricity distribution company of Hormozgan province.Methods: This descriptive-analytical cross-sectional study was conducted on the linemen inHormozgan Electronic Distribution Company in ۲۰۲۰. We used a demographic questionnaire thatincludes the tobacco use and the Nordic Skeletal-Muscular Questionnaire (NMQ) to determine theprevalence of skeletal muscle disorders (which are not caused by accidents) also used the newdefinition of CTD from the American Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH).Mann-Whitney test and Stata ۱۷ software were used for statistical analysisResults: The number of participants were ۳۸۱ men, the average age was ۳۶ years (±۵.۴), theprevalence of cigarette smoking was ۹.۴۵% and hookah use was ۶.۰۴%. The prevalence of skeletalmuscle disorders were reported ۲۲.۷%, ۱۶.۷۳%, ۱۹.۷۶%, ۸.۱۵% and ۲۴.۲۱% respectively in theneck, shoulder, low back, wrist and lower limbs. The results of statistical tests didn't show asignificant relationship between having skeletal muscle disorders in anybody area and smoking,but a statistically significant relationship was observed between having skeletal muscle disorder inthe lower back and hookah use (P-value=۰.۰۱).Conclusion: Relatively high prevalence of skeletal muscle disorders in low back was seen inlinemen and considering the relationship between this prevalence and the hookah use in them, itseems that the design of tobacco use prevention programs are effective in ensuring the health oflinemen

کلیدواژه ها:

Cigarette Smoking ، Hookah Use ، Skeletal Muscle Disorders and Lineman