Prevalence and characteristics of musculoskeletal pain in Korean farmers
Open accessAbstract
OBJECTIVE: To investigate the prevalence and characteristics of musculoskeletal pain (MSK) pain in Korean farmers using initial survey data of Farmers' Cohort for Agricultural Work-Related MSK pain (FARM) study. METHODS: Farmers (534 females and 479 males; mean age 57.2±7.5 years) who owned or rented a farm and belonged to an agricultural cooperative unit were recruited. Presence of pain for each body part (neck, shoulder, arm/elbow, wrist/hand/finger, low back, leg/foot), and characteristics of MSK pain (prevalence, location, duration, severity, and frequency) during the last year was assessed. Additionally, demographic data such as farming duration, history of prior injury, and workload (low, moderate, somewhat hard, or hard) were collected using structured questionnaires. RESULTS: Almost all subjects (n=925; 91.3%) complained of pain in more than one body part. The frequency order was low back (63.8%), leg/foot (43.3%), shoulder (42.9%), wrist/hand/finger (26.6%), arm/elbow (25.3%), and neck (21.8%). Low back pain was more frequent in those with over 30 years of farming experience (odds ratio [OR], 1.40; 95% confidence interval, 1.08-1.81). MSK pain was related to history of prior injury (OR, 2.18-5.24; p<0.05) in all body parts except for leg/foot, and very hard workload was associated with low back, leg/foot, neck, shoulder, and wrist/hand/finger pain (OR, 2.88-10.83; p<0.05). CONCLUSION: Most Korean farmers experience MSK pain; furthermore, there is a significant association between pain, history of prior injury, and workload, suggestive of the necessity of coping and preventive strategies to reduce injury or workload.
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Risk factors for green professions include financial pressures, high administrative workload, long working hours, high stress levels, part-time jobs off the farm, health problems and preceding work accidents.
“Most of these risk factors comprise, for example, financial pressures, high administrative workload, long working hours, high stress levels, part-time jobs off the farm, health problems and preceding work accidents.22–25”
From Clinical and cost-effectiveness of a guided internet-based Acceptance and Commitment Therapy to improve chronic pain-related disability in green professions (PACT-A): Study protocol of a pragmatic randomised controlled trial (2020) · cites this paper as [22]
The Results link working more than 12 hours a day and prior injury to musculoskeletal pain in Korean farmers; the Discussion also identifies heavy physical workload as a risk factor. The paper does not identify administrative workload, off-farm part-time jobs, or financial pressures as risk factors. Its Introduction describes lower farm income and stress as possible consequences of musculoskeletal pain, not preceding risks. (LLM, conf=0.86)
Experimental — accuracy not yet measuredIndividuals in green professions are exposed to risk factors for chronic pain, pain severity and mental disorders such as major depressive disorder.
“In addition, they are exposed to risk factors for chronic pain, pain severity and mental disorders (eg, major depressive disorder (MDD)).”
From Clinical and cost-effectiveness of a guided internet-based Acceptance and Commitment Therapy to improve chronic pain-related disability in green professions (PACT-A): Study protocol of a pragmatic randomised controlled trial (2020) · cites this paper as [22]
The Discussion (page not provided) identifies agricultural workload and prior injury as risk factors for musculoskeletal pain in Korean farmers, including pain that may become chronic. The Results describe pain severity, but do not establish risk factors for severity; the paper does not address mental disorders such as MDD. Its findings also concern farmers, not green professions generally. (LLM, conf=0.86)
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- Authors
- Min, D., Baek, S., Park, H.-W., Lee, S.-A., Moon, J., Yang, J. E., Kim, K. S., Kim, J. Y., & Kang, E. K.
- Affiliations
- Kangwon National University Hospital (KR)
- Kangwon National University (KR)
- Corresponding author
- Kang, Eun Kyoung
- Venue
- Annals of Rehabilitation Medicine
- Published
- 2016
- Volume
- 40
- Issue
- 1
- Pages
- 1
- ISSN
- 2234-0645 (ISSN-L)
- 2234-0653
- PMC
- PMC4775741
- OpenAlex
- W2293050193
- Cited by
- 43
- References
- 25
- Citations by year
- 2026: 2 · 2025: 3 · 2024: 4 · 2023: 4 · 2022: 5 · 2021: 10 · 2020: 7 · 2019: 2 · 2018: 3 · 2017: 3
- FWCI
- 3.12
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- gold
- doi.org
- Licence
- Locations
- Annals of Rehabilitation Medicine (publishedVersion, cc-by-nc)
- Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (publishedVersion, cc-by-nc)
- PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by-nc)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Funders
- Kangwon National University
- Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs
- Topics
- Life Sciences › Agricultural and Biological Sciences › Plant Science › Agriculture and Farm Safety
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Pharmacology › Musculoskeletal pain and rehabilitation
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Ergonomics and Musculoskeletal Disorders
- Keywords
- musculoskeletal pain, farmers, low back pain, agricultural labor, injury history, workload, neck pain, wrist and hand pain, prevalence, Korean farmers
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