Prevalence and predictors of work-related musculoskeletal disorders among healthcare professionals in Sub-Saharan African region: systematic review and meta-analysis protocol

Background: The Global Burden of Diseases 2017 found that musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) are the second most prevalent cause of years lost to injury, although years of life lost are decreasing in low-income countries, especially in Sub-Saharan Africa. The objective will be to describe the regional prevalence of WMSD for different anatomical body areas and their risk factors in different health professions in the sub-Saharan African region. Method: We will search databases such as Scopus, PubMed, Science Direct, AJOL, and Google Scholar for publications published between January 2002 and December 2022. The primary outcome will be the prevalence of work-related musculoskeletal disorders among health professionals, and risk factors related to WRMSDs will be the secondary outcome. Three reviewers will screen all abstract data, full-text articles, and all citations independently. The Newcastle-Ottawa scale (NOS) will be used to assess the quality of eligible publications. Subgroup analysis will be conducted to explore the potential heterogeneity (e.g., age, sample size, gender, and occupational activities). Publication bias and heterogeneity will be assessed and reported using the appropriate tools. Discussion: This systematic review and meta-analysis will provide a synthesis of the literature on work-related musculoskeletal disorders and their predictors among health professionals in the Sub-Saharan Africa region. The consensus of data from this review will provide a regional view to help occupational health-related policymakers, healthcare professionals, and program managers in developing countries gain a better understanding of the prevalence, causes, and trends to build better evidence-based occupational musculoskeletal health and disorders prevention programs among various health professionals. Systematic review registration: PROSPERO, CRD42023455517