Association between musculoskeletal disorders and health-related quality of life in Chilean and Spanish taxi drivers

Marta Marín-Berges; Alejandro Gómez-Bruton; Pablo A. Lizana; Maximiliano Cáceres; Pía Magaña; Isabel Iguacel; Marta Marín-Berges; Alejandro Gómez-Bruton; Pablo A. Lizana; Maximiliano Cáceres; Pía Magaña; Isabel Iguacel

doi:10.3934/publichealth.2026005

AIMS Public Health

2026, Volume 13, Issue 1: 63-81. doi: 10.3934/publichealth.2026005

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Research article

Association between musculoskeletal disorders and health-related quality of life in Chilean and Spanish taxi drivers

1.
IBiOPS, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Aragón, Universidad de Zaragoza, Zaragoza, Spain
2.
Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Fisiopatología de la Obesidad y Nutrición (CIBEROBN), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
3.
EXER-GENUD (Growth, Exercise, Nutrition and Development), Faculty of Health and Sport Sciences, Huesca, University of Zaragoza, Spain
4.
Laboratory of Epidemiology and Morphological Sciences, Instituto de Biología, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Valparaíso, Valparaíso 2373223, Chile
5.
Center for Interdisciplinary Research in Biomedicine, Biotechnology and Well-Being (CID3B), Pontificia Universidad Católica de Valparaíso, Valparaíso, Chile
6.
Instituto Agroalimentario de Aragón (IA2), Zaragoza, Spain
7.
NUTRI-GENUD (Growth, Exercise, Nutrition and Development), Faculty of Health Sciences, Zaragoza, University of Zaragoza, Spain

Received: 29 August 2025 Revised: 17 November 2025 Accepted: 11 December 2025 Published: 07 January 2026

Purpose
Taxi drivers are often exposed to long working hours, sedentary lifestyles, and prolonged static postures, increasing their risk of developing musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) and negatively affecting their health-related quality of life (QoL). Robust estimates linking the burden of MSDs with QoL in taxi drivers remain scarce, especially in interregional comparisons. Therefore, we estimated the prevalence of MSDs and examined whether the number and distribution of painful regions were associated with QoL, adjusting for key sociodemographic factors, in samples of drivers from Chile and Spain.
Methods
This cross-sectional study assessed 217 professional drivers (102 in Valparaíso, Chile, and 115 in Zaragoza, Spain) using validated questionnaires to assess MSD (Nordic Standardised Questionnaire), QoL (SF-36), and socio-demographic characteristics. Bivariate analyses and logistic regression models were applied.
Results
A high prevalence of MSDs was reported (83.0%), with the lower back (51.6%), neck (50.2%), and right shoulder (34.5%) being the most affected regions. In both countries, the presence of two or more painful regions was significantly associated with worse physical QoL (Chile OR 5.8, 95% CI 2.20–15.27; Spain OR 3.4, 95% CI 1.39–8.22). Among Chilean drivers, older age and the perception of a precarious financial situation were statistically associated with poorer physical QoL (OR 1.1, 95% CI 1.01–1.09; OR 2.8, 95% CI 1.14–7.04, respectively). In Spain, the perception of financial difficulties was associated with poorer mental QoL (OR 3.1, 95% CI 1.08–8.84).
Conclusion
These findings highlight the physical strain and vulnerability of professional drivers, underscoring the need for ergonomic initiatives and policy measures tailored to their context.
- musculoskeletal pain,
- quality of life,
- health-related quality of life,
- taxi driver,
- mental health
Citation: Marta Marín-Berges, Alejandro Gómez-Bruton, Pablo A. Lizana, Maximiliano Cáceres, Pía Magaña, Isabel Iguacel. Association between musculoskeletal disorders and health-related quality of life in Chilean and Spanish taxi drivers[J]. AIMS Public Health, 2026, 13(1): 63-81. doi: 10.3934/publichealth.2026005

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Abstract

Purpose

Taxi drivers are often exposed to long working hours, sedentary lifestyles, and prolonged static postures, increasing their risk of developing musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) and negatively affecting their health-related quality of life (QoL). Robust estimates linking the burden of MSDs with QoL in taxi drivers remain scarce, especially in interregional comparisons. Therefore, we estimated the prevalence of MSDs and examined whether the number and distribution of painful regions were associated with QoL, adjusting for key sociodemographic factors, in samples of drivers from Chile and Spain.

Methods

This cross-sectional study assessed 217 professional drivers (102 in Valparaíso, Chile, and 115 in Zaragoza, Spain) using validated questionnaires to assess MSD (Nordic Standardised Questionnaire), QoL (SF-36), and socio-demographic characteristics. Bivariate analyses and logistic regression models were applied.

Results

A high prevalence of MSDs was reported (83.0%), with the lower back (51.6%), neck (50.2%), and right shoulder (34.5%) being the most affected regions. In both countries, the presence of two or more painful regions was significantly associated with worse physical QoL (Chile OR 5.8, 95% CI 2.20–15.27; Spain OR 3.4, 95% CI 1.39–8.22). Among Chilean drivers, older age and the perception of a precarious financial situation were statistically associated with poorer physical QoL (OR 1.1, 95% CI 1.01–1.09; OR 2.8, 95% CI 1.14–7.04, respectively). In Spain, the perception of financial difficulties was associated with poorer mental QoL (OR 3.1, 95% CI 1.08–8.84).

Conclusion

These findings highlight the physical strain and vulnerability of professional drivers, underscoring the need for ergonomic initiatives and policy measures tailored to their context.

Acknowledgments

This research was supported by DI Regular 039.704/2025, Vicerrectoría de Investigación, Creación e Innovación, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Valparaíso, Chile.
Our thanks to APATZ (Asociación Provincial de Auto-taxi de Zaragoza) and Cooperativa de Taxi de Zaragoza for providing the space and communication, as well as to all the taxi drivers who participated in the research in Valparaíso, Chile.

Authors' contributions

All authors contributed to the study conception and design. Conceptualization was carried out by Marta Marín-Berges, Isabel Iguacel, and Alejandro Gómez-Bruton. Methodology was developed by Marta Marín-Berges, Pablo A. Lizana, Maximiliano Cáceres, and Pía Magaña. Formal analysis and investigation were performed by Pablo A. Lizana, Maximiliano Cáceres, and Pía Magaña. The original draft of the manuscript was written by Pablo A. Lizana, Maximiliano Cáceres, and Pía Magaña. Marta Marín-Berges, Isabel Iguacel, Alejandro Gómez-Bruton, and Pablo A. Lizana contributed to the review and editing of the manuscript. Supervision and project administration were led by Marta Marín-Berges, Isabel Iguacel, and Alejandro Gómez-Bruton. All authors validated the final results, and all have read and approved the final manuscript.

Conflict of interest

The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper.

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