Exploring the mediation role of employees’ well-being in the relationship between psychosocial factors and musculoskeletal pain during the COVID-19 pandemic
Abstrak
BACKGROUND: TheCOVID-19 pandemic has increased some psychosocial risks which may aggravate the development of
musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) and reduced psychological well-being, two leading global occupational health problems.
OBJECTIVE: This study aims to investigate whether an employee’s psychological well-being mediates the relationship
between the psychosocial factors (job strain, work-life balance, and job security) and the prevalence of musculoskeletal pain
in the Indonesian general working population during the pandemic.
METHODS:Across-sectional study designwas employed using an online questionnaire.Atotal of 406 from 465 respondents
were included in the final analysis.
RESULTS: It was found that 73.9% of respondents suffered from upper body part pain, 25.15% from low back pain, and
39.7% reported pain in the lower limb. Process Macro Model 4 analysis showed the significant role of well-being as a mediator
in the association between work-life balance and the odds of experiencing the upper body and low back pains. However,
neither the direct nor mediating effect on the relationship between job strain or job security and any musculoskeletal pains
were observed. These findings suggest that specific psychosocial factors may be more relevant to be investigated in the
particular context.
CONCLUSION: The use of a mediation model was able to link work-life balance to musculoskeletal complaints through
well-being states in the context of the pandemic. Organizations need to mitigate poor well-being triggered by psychosocial
stressors which could affect physical complaints to maintain employee’s health and productivity.
Keywords: COVID-19, musculoskeletal, psychosocial, well-being, work-life balance
musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) and reduced psychological well-being, two leading global occupational health problems.
OBJECTIVE: This study aims to investigate whether an employee’s psychological well-being mediates the relationship
between the psychosocial factors (job strain, work-life balance, and job security) and the prevalence of musculoskeletal pain
in the Indonesian general working population during the pandemic.
METHODS:Across-sectional study designwas employed using an online questionnaire.Atotal of 406 from 465 respondents
were included in the final analysis.
RESULTS: It was found that 73.9% of respondents suffered from upper body part pain, 25.15% from low back pain, and
39.7% reported pain in the lower limb. Process Macro Model 4 analysis showed the significant role of well-being as a mediator
in the association between work-life balance and the odds of experiencing the upper body and low back pains. However,
neither the direct nor mediating effect on the relationship between job strain or job security and any musculoskeletal pains
were observed. These findings suggest that specific psychosocial factors may be more relevant to be investigated in the
particular context.
CONCLUSION: The use of a mediation model was able to link work-life balance to musculoskeletal complaints through
well-being states in the context of the pandemic. Organizations need to mitigate poor well-being triggered by psychosocial
stressors which could affect physical complaints to maintain employee’s health and productivity.
Keywords: COVID-19, musculoskeletal, psychosocial, well-being, work-life balance