Craniocervical Pain, Sleep Quality, Depressive Symptoms, and Physical Activity in Healthcare Workers During COVID-19 Pandemic

Jade Padilha Silva; Anita Almeida Gonzaga; Rafaella Silva Dos Santos Aguiar Gonçalves; Luiz Felipe Tavares; Álvaro Campos Cavalcanti Maciel; Karyna Myrelly Oliveira Bezerra Figueiredo-Ribeiro

doi:10.1016/j.pmn.2024.01.004

Craniocervical Pain, Sleep Quality, Depressive Symptoms, and Physical Activity in Healthcare Workers During COVID-19 Pandemic

Pain Manag Nurs. 2024 Jun;25(3):e230-e235. doi: 10.1016/j.pmn.2024.01.004. Epub 2024 Feb 29.

Authors

Jade Padilha Silva¹, Anita Almeida Gonzaga¹, Rafaella Silva Dos Santos Aguiar Gonçalves¹, Luiz Felipe Tavares², Álvaro Campos Cavalcanti Maciel³, Karyna Myrelly Oliveira Bezerra Figueiredo-Ribeiro⁴

Affiliations

¹ From the Department of Physical Therapy, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte (UFRN), Natal, Brazil.
² Department of Physical Therapy, Federal University of São Carlos (UFSCar), Brazil.
³ From the Department of Physical Therapy, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte (UFRN), Natal, Brazil; Postgraduate program in Physical Therapy (PPGFST), Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte (UFRN), Natal, Brazil.
⁴ From the Department of Physical Therapy, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte (UFRN), Natal, Brazil; Postgraduate program in Physical Therapy (PPGFST), Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte (UFRN), Natal, Brazil. Electronic address: [email protected].

PMID: 38429200
DOI: 10.1016/j.pmn.2024.01.004

Abstract

Background: An increase in the workload and use of personal protective equipment by healthcare workers was observed during the COVID-19 pandemic. Due to the connections between craniocervical structures, symptoms such as neck pain and temporomandibular symptoms could be influenced by the use of PPE.

Aims: To assess the prevalence of craniocervical pain, sleep quality, physical activity, and depressive symptoms and relationship among craniocervical symptoms in healthcare workers before and during the COVID-19 pandemic in Brazil.

Design: Cross-sectional study.

Participants: Healthcare workers.

Settings: An online questionnaire included a self-report of craniocervical pain intensity [orofacial pain, neck pain, and headache (Numerical Rating Scale)], sleep quality (Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index), depressive symptoms (Patient Health Questionnaire two items) and physical activity (self-report).

Methods: The sample analysis was performed by descriptive statistics, the paired t-test was used to compare symptoms intensity before and during the pandemic. The relationship between dependent and independent samples was assessed through McNemar test, Pearson's chi-squared test, and Student's independent t-test. A value of p < .05 was adopted as statistical significance.

Results: Overall, 147 participants replied the questionnaires. Headache, neck pain, and orofacial pain complaints increased during the pandemic in healthcare workers (p < 0.001). Craniocervical pain was correlated with poor sleep quality, probable depression, and physical activity during the pandemic (p < 0.05).

Conclusion: Healthcare workers self-reported more craniocervical pain during the COVID-19 pandemic compared to before the pandemic. In addition, poor sleep quality, depressive symptoms, and physical inactivity were associated with craniocervical symptoms during this period.

Keywords: COVID-19; Headache; Neck pain; Orofacial pain; Personal protective equipment.

MeSH terms

Adult
Brazil / epidemiology
COVID-19* / epidemiology
COVID-19* / psychology
Cross-Sectional Studies
Depression* / epidemiology
Depression* / psychology
Exercise* / psychology
Female
Headache / epidemiology
Headache / psychology
Health Personnel* / psychology
Health Personnel* / statistics & numerical data
Humans
Male
Middle Aged
Neck Pain* / epidemiology
Neck Pain* / psychology
Pandemics
Personal Protective Equipment / statistics & numerical data
Prevalence
SARS-CoV-2
Self Report
Sleep Quality*
Surveys and Questionnaires