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Prevalence of epicondylitis, rotator cuff syndrome, and low back pain in Latino poultry workers and manual laborers.

Rosenbaum DA; Grzywacz JG; Chen H; Arcury TA; Schulz MR; Blocker JN; Mora DC; Quandt SA

Am J Ind Med 2013 Feb; 56(2):226-234

https://doi.org/10.1002/ajim.22127

20042833

BACKGROUND: The goal of this study is to improve understanding of immigrant Latino manual workers' occupational health, focusing on upper body musculoskeletal injury. METHODS: Physical exams were conducted with a representative sample of 516 Latino poultry workers and manual laborers in western North Carolina; outcome measures were prevalence of epicondylitis, rotator cuff syndrome, and low back pain. RESULTS: Low back pain (n = 89; 17.2%) and rotator cuff syndrome (n = 76; 14.7%) indicated by physical exam was common. Epicondylitis was less common, but still frequent (n = 30; 5.8%). Prevalence of each outcome did not differ between poultry processing workers and other manual workers. Workers >40 years old had greater incidence of rotator cuff syndrome and epicondylitis. CONCLUSIONS: Epicondylitis, rotator cuff syndrome, and low back pain are common in immigrant Latino workers, and may negatively impact long-term health and contribute to occupational health disparities.

Demographic-characteristics; Sociological-factors; Humans; Men; Women; Adolescents; Musculoskeletal-system; Musculoskeletal-system-disorders; Injuries; Physiological-effects; Physical-reactions; Workers; Work-environment; Work-capability; Work-capacity; Age-groups; Etiology; Epidemiology; Statistical-analysis; Food-processing-industry; Animals; Author Keywords: poultry workers; musculoskeletal illness; epicondylitis; low back pain; rotator cuff syndrome

Daryl A. Rosenbaum, MD, Department of Family and Community Medicine, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Medical Center Boulevard, Winston-Salem, NC 27157

AJIMD8

20130201

Journal Article

drosenba@wakehealth.edu

Grant

2013

Grant-Number-R01-OH-009251; B20130718

2

0271-3586

Manufacturing

American Journal of Industrial Medicine

NC

Wake Forest University Health Sciences - Winston-Salem, North Carolina