Quality of life and chronic musculoskeletal disorders: a multifactorial study of the impacts on the health of office workers.

Introduction: Office workers are at higher risk of musculoskeletal disorders due to prolonged sitting and repetitive movements, impacting their quality of life and generating costs for employers, healthcare systems, and social security. Objectives: To investigate the presence of chronic musculoskeletal disorders and their correlation with quality of life among employees at a federal higher education institution. Methods: A descriptive study based on an approved ethics committee database. Participants included 256 workers who worked 20 hours/week in office settings and provided sociodemographic data, chronic musculoskeletal disorder assessments (Nordic Musculoskeletal Questionnaire), and quality of life evaluations (WHOQOL-Bref). Quality of life scores were compared using Pearson's correlation test, with a significance level of 95% (p < 0.05). Results: The median age was 39 years, with a female majority (66.3%), married (62.3%), and holding a college degree (98%). Of the total, 186 (72.6%) reported chronic musculoskeletal disorders, primarily in the neck and lower back. Wrist-hand disorders were associated with worse overall quality of life scores, as well as physical and environmental domains, while lower back disorders correlated with poorer social domain scores. Conclusions: Despite being young adults, most participants had disorders in multiple body regions; however, only wrist-hand symptoms were significantly correlated with worse overall quality of life. The adoption of health education measures is recommended to mitigate and prevent these conditions.