Perceived Stress and Musculoskeletal Pain Among Undergraduate Health Students

Objective: to assess the association between the presence of perceived stress and reports of musculoskeletal pain among undergraduate health students. Method: a cross-sectional study carried out with undergraduate health students (Nursing, Pharmacy, Physiotherapy, Speech Therapy, Medicine, Occupational Therapy, and Dentistry) in a public university of southern Brazil. Data collection took place in the period from April to June 2017. An instrument with sociodemographic, habits, health profile, and academic variables was used; as well as the Brazilian version of the Standardized Nordic Questionnaire and the Perceived Stress Scale. Descriptive and inferential statistics were employed for the analysis. Results: a total of 792 students took part in the study. The students with a high stress level presented more chances for the occurrence of musculoskeletal pain in the vertebral column region (OR=2.92; 95% CI=1.30-6.55), upper limbs (OR=3.27; 95% CI=1.80-5.92) and lower limbs (OR=3.10; 95% CI=1.81-5.29). The variables “not having time for leisure” and “sometimes having time for leisure” presented higher chances of pain in the vertebral column region (OR=2.92; 95% CI=1.30-6.55), upper limbs (OR=3.27; 95% CI=1.80-5.92) and lower limbs (OR=3.10; 95% CI=1.81-5.29). The variables “not having time for leisure” and “sometimes having time for leisure” presented higher chances of pain in the vertebral (OR=3.11; 95% CI=1.84-5.25), Occupational Therapy (OR=2.57; IC95%=1,51-4,38) and Physiotherapy (OR=1.82; 95% CI=1.00-3.31) and being overweight (OR=1.59; 95% CI=1.09-2.31) presented higher chances of pain in the lower limbs. Conclusion: the association between perceived stress and the occurrence of musculoskeletal pain among the students was evidenced, revealing the importance of implementing programs aiming at the students’ health.