Mohammad Hassan Nassiri-Kashani - Occupational Medicine Research Center (OMRC), Iran University of medical sciences and health services (IUMS); Tehran-Iran
Mashallah Aghilinejad - Occupational Medicine Research Center (OMRC), Iran University of medical sciences and health services (IUMS); Tehran-Iran
Elahe Kabir-Mokamelkhah - Occupational Medicine Research Center (OMRC), Iran University of medical sciences and health services (IUMS); Tehran-Iran
Amer Abdullah - Occupational Medicine Research Center (OMRC), Iran University of medical sciences and health services (IUMS); Tehran-Iran

Concept of occupational stress and its relations with musculoskeletal disorders has been investigated for years. The present study was performed for determining the role of occupational stress in the development of musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) among embassy personnel of foreign countries in Iran.Study population in the present cross sectional study was 200 embassy personnel of foreign countries in Tehran capital of the Islamic Republic of Iran. Study questionnaires (Nordic Questionnaire; The occupational stress scale) were distributed into participants and finally 161 questionnaires come back to the researchers (response rate: 80.5%).One week and one year period prevalence of musculoskeletal complaints of included embassy personnel were 59.6% and 75.2% respectively. Mean of occupational stress in embassy personnel with musculoskeletal disorders in recent week and year were significantly higher than embassy personnel without musculoskeletal disorders. Smoking and occupational stress score were independent predictor of musculoskeletal disorders.Occupational stress had an impact on development and persistence of WRMSDs among embassy personnel and next studies in this new field will suggest for more detecting actual causes of WRMSDs in these persons and other office workers.

Musculoskeletal Disorders; Occupational stress; Prevalence; Workers