The Influence of Gender/Sex on Work-Related Musculoskeletal Disorders: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Abstract

This systematic review and meta-analysis examines the influence of gender/sex on the risk of developing work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSDs). Previous research has indicated a link between female gender/sex and increased WMSD risk, but findings have been inconsistent due to varying study designs and high null result rates. This study synthesized adjusted odds ratios (AORs) from 93 high-quality cross-sectional studies that examine WMSD risk while controlling for various confounding factors such as job exposure and environmental variables. The overall synthesized AOR for female gender/sex on WMSD risk was 1.50, and gender was a statistically significant predictor of risk for most but not all body parts and industries. High heterogeneity was present in the overall synthesis but recued when stratifying results by industry and body part. The results suggest a significant but low to moderate link between gender and WMSD incidence, with some variation by industry and body part.

Keywords: Systematic review, meta-analysis, gender, sex, work-related musculoskeletal disorder

DOI: 10.54941/ahfe1005717