Background: Poultry processing is characterized by rapid line speed and extreme division of labor. Morbidity associated with this work has been reported by scientists, journalists and workers in this fast growing industry. Methods: Cross-sectional data from baseline measures of a cohort of black women employed in poultry processing (n = 291) and a community comparison group (n = 299) in rural North Carolina were used to evaluate musculoskeletal symptom reports and to explore factors associated with those reports. Recruitment of participants and collection of data were performed by women in the community circumventing the need to involve employers. Results: Significant differences in musculoskeletal symptom prevalence were observed between women employed in poultry processing and those of similar economic status employed elsewhere in the same area of rural northeastern North Carolina. After adjusting for other factors independently associated with symptoms among these women including age, depression, and perceived isometric load at work, the prevalence of upper extremity and neck symptoms was 2.4 (95% CI 1.7, 3.2) times higher among women working in poultry processing. Conclusions: The findings add to the documentation of occupational health concerns among vulnerable workers employed in poultry processing in our state; in this economically depressed area of rural northeastern North Carolina poultry processing is the largest single employer of women. On a larger scale, the potential magnitude of upper extremity morbidity among women employed in poultry processing should be viewed with the knowledge that poultry processing is a growing industry in the U.S. with work done largely by blacks and immigrants. © 2007 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Upper extremity disorders Poultry processing Musculoskeletal symptoms Women's health Community-based research Occupational health and safety Work-related

social justice Negro arm human community poultry farming middle aged Meat-Packing Industry North Carolina rural population controlled study economic aspect comparative study Occupational Diseases Animals rural health musculoskeletal disease statistical significance Cross-Sectional Studies Musculoskeletal Diseases Confidence interval United States Humans neck Adolescent female Socioeconomic Factors prevalence women's health Article major clinical study adult industrial worker cohort analysis social class disease association occupational hazard African Americans Poultry