Arm Pain and Daytime Sleepiness among Nursing Home Employees

Abstract

We investigated the relationship between musculoskeletal disorders and sleep problems among 98 employees (79 women) at three nursing homes. Self-reported data were collected regarding pain in the neck, shoulders, arms, legs, and low back, sleep disturbances, daytime sleepiness (Epworth Sleepiness Scale), and the level of workload on the hands, legs, and low back by type of care. Pain in the arms was significantly associated with less difficulty initiating sleep, fewer symptoms of insomnia, and a higher level of daytime sleepiness. After adjusting for age and gender, only the association between arm pain and daytime sleepiness remained significant (Odds Ratio 6.70, 95% Confidence Interval 1.40-31.97). Participants with both arm pain and daytime sleepiness showed significantly greater levels of workload in some kinds of care in a systemic manner than counterparts without either complaint. These findings suggest that arm pain is associated with elevated sleep propensity/fatigue in nursing home work.