The Impact of Neck Pain on Work Productivity and Quality of Life Among Office Workers in Jazan: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Background and objective Neck pain (NP) is a prevalent musculoskeletal disorder (MSD) among office workers (OWs) and significantly affects productivity and quality of life (QALY). However, the effect of NP on office employees in Saudi Arabia remains unclear. In light of this, we aimed to evaluate the impact of NP and its associated factors on OWs in the Jazan region, Saudi Arabia. Methods This cross-sectional study employed an anonymous, self-administered online questionnaire distributed to OWs (n=371) at Jazan University. The survey included demographic information, neck problem assessment, and the World Health Organization Quality-of-Life Scale Brief Version (WHOQOL-BREF) and Standardized Nordic questionnaire for those reporting NP. Descriptive statistics and logistic regression were used to examine the relationships between the variables and NP duration. Results The cohort comprised 221 (59.6%) males and 150 (40.4%) females, with a mean age of 37.61 years [standard deviation (SD): 11.04)]. The majority (360, 97.0%) were Saudi nationals, and 255 (68.7%) held a bachelor's degree. A substantial proportion of participants (60, 16.4%) reported missing work due to NP the previous year; however, only 97 (26.1%) had sought medical attention. NP significantly affected life satisfaction and QALY, with only 84 (22.6%) and 74 (12.5%) of the respondents reporting high satisfaction with their health and sleep, respectively. Regarding work impact, 42 (11.3%) reported NP affecting work for one to seven days in the past year, 13 (3.5%) for 8-30 days, and six (1.6%) for >30 days but not every day. Logistic regression analysis revealed that individuals without a history of neck accidents had a 48% lower likelihood of experiencing prolonged NP (8-30 days) in the past year [odds ratio (OR)=0.528, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.279-0.999, p=0.050]. No significant associations were found between NP duration and factors such as age, sex, smoking status, or working hours (p>0.05). Conclusions This study elucidated the significant impact of NP on work productivity and QALY among OWs in Jazan, Saudi Arabia. Despite its high prevalence, the low rate of medical consultation sought suggests potential barriers to healthcare utilization. These findings underscore the necessity for tailored workplace interventions, improved access to medical services, and further research to address this occupational health concern and enhance the overall well-being of OWs.
Competing Interests: Human subjects: Consent for treatment and open access publication was obtained or waived by all participants in this study. The Standing Committee for Scientific Research - Jazan University issued approval REC-44/11/708. Animal subjects: All authors have confirmed that this study did not involve animal subjects or tissue. Conflicts of interest: In compliance with the ICMJE uniform disclosure form, all authors declare the following: Payment/services info: All authors have declared that no financial support was received from any organization for the submitted work. Financial relationships: All authors have declared that they have no financial relationships at present or within the previous three years with any organizations that might have an interest in the submitted work. Other relationships: All authors have declared that there are no other relationships or activities that could appear to have influenced the submitted work.
(Copyright © 2024, Alhazmi et al.)