Musculoskeletal disorders and quality of life among undergraduate health sciences students: A cross-sectional study

Abstract

Musculoskeletal disorders (MSD) can deteriorate individuals’ physical and mental health, thereby lowering their quality of life (QOL). The current study aim was to determine the relationship between MSD and sociodemographic characteristics with QOL among undergraduate health sciences students. A cross-sectional study was conducted by selecting 330 health sciences students in Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM) Puncak Alam. Nordic Musculoskeletal Questionnaire and WHOQOL-BREF questionnaires were used as research instruments. A total of 86.6% of the students had experience MSD at least in one body region, with the lower back being the most common site (63.3%). Environmental domain of QOL scored the highest (M=68.16, SD=17.82), while the Psychological domain was the lowest (M=52.84, SD=12.66). Hips or thigh pain reported significantly lower score in Psychological domain only.  Older age reported significantly lower score in Physical, Psychological and Environmental domains. Higher body mass index (BMI) showed significantly lower score in Physical and Environmental domains whereas those students who had a clinical training experience showed significantly higher score in Physical and Psychological domains. Hips or thigh showed an impact on QOL especially psychologically. This study can be used as a baseline for future research on the relationship between MSD and QOL, particularly among young adults.