Effects of Working from Home on Musculoskeletal Pain and Coronaphobia during the COVID-19 Pandemic

BackgroundCOVID-19 pandemic impacted the physical and mental health of Brazilian workers, especially those who started acting in home-office. Changes in the workplace, increased physical inactivity and fear of contracting the disease, known as coronophobia, may be related to increased musculoskeletal pain. ObjectiveTo analyze the prevalence of musculoskeletal pain and coronophobia in home-office workers during the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as evaluating the relationship between these variables. MethodA cross-sectional, observational and descriptive study with 736 participants was conducted through online questionnaire. Sociodemographic data, working conditions, pain, besides the evaluation of coronophobia using COVID-19 Phobia scale (C19P-S) and pain with the Nordic questionnaire of osteomuscular symptoms (NMQ) were collected. ResultsMost participants were female (78%), with an average age of 32.8 {+/-} 10.7 years. During the pandemic, 71% reported some osteomuscular symptoms, and of these, 64% began to have new paintings of pain in the pandemic, with higher incidence in the lower back and neck. Participants who began to perform their functions in home-office presented a higher incidence of pain and, among them, 53% reported that the furniture was not suitable for homework. Most had little fear of Covid-19, but moderate levels of coronophobia increased the chance of musculoskeletal pain (RP=1,74; IC 95%). There was a significant association between coronophobia and musculoskeletal pain. ConclusionsThe pandemic raised the prevalence of musculoskeletal pain, especially in cervical and lumba regions, and the fear of Covid-19 influenced this relationship.