Pain assessment and medications use among daily paid skilled workers in Benin city.

Abstract

Daily paid skilled workers experience pain due to constant movements in awkward positions and forceful repetitive movements of the body which lead to low productivity, disability and increased health care cost. This study assessed the type of pain experienced, the location in the body and the medications used to treat pain by daily paid skilled workers in Benin City. A cross-sectional survey of four hundred consenting daily paid skilled workers within the four local government areas of Benin comprising of 273 (68.3%) males and 127(31.8%) females were interviewed. The frequently occurring workers were drivers 56(14%), bricklayers and laborers 48(12%), bike riders 75(18.8%), hair dressers 77(19.3%) and fashion designers 43(10.8%). About 221(55.3%) of the respondents had lower back pain followed by shoulder pain 51(12.8%), general body pain 52(13%) upper back pain 27(6.8%) and pain in the hand 25(6.3%). The location of pain was significantly associated with the type of occupation. Lower back pain occurred across all the different types of occupations. Paracetamol 186(46.5%) was the most commonly used analgesic followed by Ibuprofen 100(25%). The pain experienced by daily paid skilled workers was found to be work- related musculoskeletal disorder. There is a need for establishment of intervention programs to reduce the risk of work - related musculoskeletal disorders among daily paid skilled workers.