EXPLORING THE ASSOCIATION BETWEENPSYCHOLOGICAL STRESS AND NECK PAIN AMONGMILITARY PERSONNEL IN KARACHI

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the association between psychological stress and neck pain in a military population.

METHODOLOGY: This cross-sectional investigation was conducted over a duration of six months involving 103 active-duty naval personnel in Karachi, Pakistan, employing a convenience sampling methodology. Participants within the age range of 20 to 55 years completed questionnaires utilizing the Neck Disability Index (NDI), Visual Analog Scale (VAS), and Perceived Stress Scale (PSS) to evaluate the prevalence of neck pain and psychological distress. Additionally, demographic and lifestyle information was gathered. The Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 29 was utilized for statistical analysis, employing descriptive statistics and chi-square tests to examine the associations between neck pain, psychological stress, and pertinent factors.

RESULT: The findings indicate that among Karachi military personnel, psychological stress is significantly correlated with neck pain. Stress prevalence is highlighted by the results, which show that the majority of respondents frequently felt anxious and agitated (53.2%) and that fewer felt confident in managing personal issues (38.6%). The most often reported symptom (77.2%) associated with both neck pain and stress was headache. All null hypotheses were rejected after correlation analysis revealed significant positive connections between some PSS and NDI components and chi-square testing validated statistically significant associations. Diagnostic tests verified that the data satisfied the majority of statistical assumptions, with a few minor exceptions because of tiny sample groups, such as divorced people, and reliability ratings ranged from satisfactory to outstanding.

CONCLUSION: This chapter evaluates the association between psychological stress and neck discomfort in Karachi military soldiers utilizing instruments such as the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS), Visual Analog Scale (VAS), and Neck Disability Index (NDI). According to the study, stress and neck pain are strongly correlated, and this relationship is modified by age, occupation, and length of service. Statistical testing verified substantial connections, while issues with data homogeneity and multicollinearity were observed. The study highlights the value of incorporating mental health support into military healthcare despite its constraints in order to enhance both individual well-being and overall readiness.