Prevalence of Musculoskeletal Disorders in Iranian Truck Drivers and Its Association with Road Accidents

Background: The association between the occurrence of road accidents and WMSD is a topic that has attracted much attention in the transportation industry. This study aimed to investigate the prevalence of musculoskeletal disorders in professional truck drivers and their impact on the occurrence of road accidents. Materials and Methods: In this descriptive study, 200 professional truck drivers were selected by a two-stage cluster sampling method from occupational medicine centers in Tehran province, Iran in 2017. The data were collected from the two groups of with and without accident. The three-part questionnaire on ergonomics and safety of drivers was used, which included items asking about demographic characteristics, stress, job satisfaction, details of accidents, and the severity of musculoskeletal disorders in nine areas of the body. The central indices and non-parametric statistical tests (Kruskal-Wallis, Spearman) were applied to analyze the data using spss Ver 24. Results: The highest frequency of pain was observed in drivers without and with accidents in the back, knees, and shoulders, respectively; however, the most severe pain was reported for the low back and neck. Drivers between 45 and 60 years old reported the highest number of accidents. The association correlation between the number of road accidents and stress score among drivers with accident experience was negatively significant (P > 0.05). However, the association between musculoskeletal disorders and accidents was not statistically significant. Conclusion: Factors other than musculoskeletal disorders were involved in road accidents that require more investigations.