[Study on the epidemiological characteristics of work-related musculoskeletal disorders among 29 industries or occupational groups in China]

Objective: To analyze the distribution characteristics of work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSDs) among the occupational population in China's key industries during the period from 2018 to 2023, and to provide data support for the formulation of targeted prevention strategies. Methods: Between January 1, 2018, and December 31, 2023, a cross-sectional epidemiological survey and a retrospective investigation were conducted in seven geographical regions of North China, East China, Central China, South China, Southwest China, Northwest China, and Northeast China, using a combination of epidemiological cross-sectional and retrospective surveys. The industries were stratified according to the degree of closeness to WMSDs, the size of the occupational population, and the importance of the national economy, and then cluster sampling was conducted according to the size of the enterprises (large, medium, and small) within each stratum. Representative enterprises were selected, and workers who had been employed for more than one year and met the inclusion criteria were selected as the study subjects. The survey subjects completed the Chinese version of the Musculoskeletal Disorders Survey Questionnaire online by scanning a QR code. A total of 88, 609 valid questionnaires were collected. Continuous data were described by means and standard deviations, and the standardized incidence rates of WMSDs were evaluated using chi-square tests to compare the standardized incidence rates of different body parts. Results: The standardized prevalence rate of WMSDs among the frontline working population in China was 36.7%, with the top three being the neck (21.37%), shoulders (18.23%), and lower back (14.92%). There was a statistically significant difference in the standardized prevalence rate of WMSDs between different body parts (χ(2)=47577.82, P<0.05). The lowest standardized prevalence rate of WMSDs was found in the southeast coastal region of China (32.54%), while the highest was in the northwest (49.70%) and northeast regions (46.16%). The standardized prevalence rate of WMSDs decreased from 42.88% in 2018 to 29.94% in 2023. The micro-enterprise observation group had a higher concentration of WMSDs in the neck (20.66%), lower back (17.95%), and shoulders (17.79%), while the large enterprise observation group had a higher concentration in the neck (20.54%), shoulders (17.52%), and lower back (14.65%). Among the industries surveyed, the highest standardized prevalence rate of WMSDs was found in the healthcare industry (53.18%), followed by the toy manufacturing industry (50.54%), the automotive manufacturing industry (43.39%), general aviation services (42.71%), and the ship and related equipment manufacturing industry (40.56%). The standardized prevalence rate of WMSDs among women was significantly higher than that of men (OR value=1.44, P<0.05). In addition, the standardized prevalence rate of WMSDs with multiple affected body parts (four or more body parts affected simultaneously) was higher, and the risk of WMSDs increased with subjective fatigue, showing a significant "S-shaped" trend (the OR value was 2.19, 3.16, 4.71, 5.49, and 3.97 when the RPE was 13, 15, 17, 19, and 20, respectively. χ(2)(trend)=17.23, P<0.001) . Conclusion: The distribution characteristics of WMSDs in key industries in China show obvious differences in different parts, regions, time, enterprise scale, industry and population attributes. Agriculture, pharmaceutical manufacturing, packaging and decoration and other printing industries have a high proportion of WMSDs in multiple parts at the same time and in a single site. It is necessary to study and implement precise preventive measures according to specific regions, industries and enterprise scales, as well as the characteristics of multi-site WMSDs, so as to effectively protect the health and well-being of the working population.