Full-Time Homemakers: Workers Who Cannot “Go Home and Relax”

This paper examined how musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) of female homemakers were studied in the literature. It also presented preliminary findings from field observations of housework and fulltime homemakers in urban settings. PubMed, Ergonomics Abstracts, Sociofile, and PsycINFO databases were used in the literature search. The review focused on comparing demands of housework and paid work. Also, exposure factors found in studies of various occupations were compared with the results of field observations of housework in 4 homes in Beirut, Lebanon. Few studies systematically examined associations between MSDs and risk factors in housework. Some well-known risk factors for MSDs were identified in the Beirut homes; however, other unique factors were noted. Housework activities expose homemakers to known risk factors for MSDs, which calls for further studies to identify appropriate intervention and prevention strategies.