Research Article

Environmental and Organizational Factors Associated with Elbow/Forearm and Hand/Wrist Disorder among Sewing Machine Operators of Garment Industry in Ethiopia

Table 7

Multivariate analysis for factors associated with hands/wrist MS disorders among sewing machine operators in Galan City, Oromia Regional State, Eastern Ethiopia, 2012.

Category of variablesHand/wrist disorder
Yes (%)No (%) COR (95% CI)AOR (95% CI)

Sex
 Male 31 (59.6)21 (40.4)2.79 (1.9–6.4)2.9 (1.3–6.4)*
 Female 128 (34.6)242 (65.4)1.001.00
Educational level
 Illiterate18 (40.0)27 (60.0)0.60 (0.25–1.41)
 Primary school56 (41.5)79 (58.5)0.64 (0.32–1.29)
 Secondary school63 (31.5)137 (68.5)0.41 (0.21–0.82)
 Higher education 22 (52.4)20 (47.6)1.00
Monthly salary
 <700 ETB (<35.5 US dollar) 35 (25.4)103 (74.6)0.26 (0.11–0.58)0.34 (0.14–0.85)*
 700–900 ETB (35.5–45.5US dollar)106 (42.1)146 (57.9)0.56 (0.26–1.18)0.66 (0.28–1.52)
 >900 ETB (>45.5 US dollar)18 (56.3)14 (43.7)1.001.00
Year of service in garment
 1–5 years86 (31.8)184 (68.1)1.001.00
 6–10 years50 (42.4)68 (57.6)1.57 (1.00–2.45)1.14 (0.70–1.86)
 11–15 years6 (54.5)5 (45.5)2.56 (0.76–8.64)1.83 (0.47–7.03)
 ≥16 years17 (73.9)6 (26.1)6.06 (2.30–15.91)4.09 (1.48–11.24)*
Physical activities
 None130 (36.7)224 (63.3)1.57 (0.64–3.84)3.41 (1.11–10.44)*
 Once per week18 (62.1)11 (37.9)4.44 (1.41–13–97)5.34 (1.44–19.76)*
 Two times per week4 (30.8)9 (69.2)1.20 (0.28–5.20)1.26 (0.24–6.41)
 ≥3 times per week7 (26.9)19 (73.1)1.001.00
Smoking behaviour
 None139 (34.9)256 (64.8)1.00
 Past smoker10 (71.4)4 (28.6)4.60 (1.41–14.95)
 Current smoker10 (76.903 (23.1)6.13 (1.66–22.67)
Employment status
 Temporary18 (72.0)7 (28.0)4.66 (1.90–11.44)3.39 (1.24–9.25)*
 Permanent141 (35.5)256 (64.5)1.001.00
Payment method
 Hourly payment102 (32.6)211 (67.4)1.001.00
 Piece rate payment57 (52.3)52 (47.7)2.26 (1.45–3.53)1.78 (1.08–2.93)*
Training on health and safety
 Yes11 (64.7)6 (35.3)1.00
 No148 (36.5)257 (63.5)3.18 (1.15–8.78)

AOR: adjusted odds ratio, COR: crude odd ratio, ETB: Ethiopian Birr, US: United States, value < 0.05.