The Prevalence and Associated Factors of Neck Pain among Ministry of Health Office Workers in Saudi Arabia: A Cross Sectional Study

Abstract

(1) Background: Neck pain is the most common type of musculoskeletal problem affecting office workers. Various occupational risk factors have been linked to neck pain. This study aims to assess the prevalence and risk factors of neck pain among office workers at the Ministry of Health in Saudi Arabia. (2) Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted, and the participants completed an online questionnaire based on the Standardized Nordic questionnaire and Quality of Life Scale Brief Version to evaluate their neck pain and the physical, psychological, social, and environmental factors that might affect their conditions. A descriptive analysis was conducted for the data and a logistic regression was performed to ascertain the effects of biodemographic and occupational factors on the likelihood of having neck pain. (3) Results: A total of 413 subjects (176 females and 237 males) participated in our study with an average age of 33.6 ± 8 years. The prevalence of neck pain in our participants was 64% during a twelve-month period. Females were less likely to suffer neck pain than males (OR = 0.52, 95%CI [0.30,0.87]), and age, BMI, level of education, and profession were not associated with likelihood of having neck pain. However, reduced working hours were associated with a reduction in the likelihood of having neck pain (OR = 0.42, 95%CI [0.33,0.53]). (4) Conclusion: Neck pain affects a large proportion of the office workers at the Ministry of Health, and this pain is significantly associated with long working hours and males. Thus, there is a need for future research that can investigate how associated factors can be managed to reduce the long-term impact of neck pain on workers’ lives. Quality improvement approaches might be used to implement effective interventions for the prevention and management of work-related risk factors that can cause neck pain.