Gender Differences in Pain Coping Strategies, Body Awareness, Pain Beliefs, and Job Satisfaction Among Healthcare Workers With Musculoskeletal Pain: A Comparative Study

Abstract

Objective: To examine gender differences in pain coping strategies, body awareness, and pain beliefs, and to determine how these psychosocial factors are associated with job satisfaction among healthcare workers suffering from musculoskeletal pain. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted in a private hospital (June 2021-January 2022) using convenience sampling. A total of 116 healthcare workers (72 women, 44 men) completed the Pain Coping Questionnaire, Body Awareness Questionnaire, Pain Beliefs Questionnaire, and Job Satisfaction Scale. Mann-Whitney U, Spearman correlation, and multiple linear regression analyses were performed. The study followed Strengthening the Reporting of Observational Studies in Epidemiology (STROBE) guidelines. Results: Women had better pain coping (t = 3.416, p = 0.001), body awareness (t = 3.372, p = 0.001), and pain beliefs (t = 2.637, p = 0.001) total scores than men. Women showed significantly higher pain coping, body awareness, and pain belief scores than men (all p < 0.05). The regression models explained 36.4% of the variance in job satisfaction among men (R-2 = 0.364, p < 0.001) and 6.6% among women (R2 = 0.066, p = 0.029). Conclusion: It is important to consider gender-specific differences in pain coping, body awareness, and pain beliefs when designing interventions aimed at improving job satisfaction among healthcare workers with musculoskeletal pain.