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Pain and Spine Medicine

Occupational and Demographic Correlates of Musculoskeletal Pain Among Vietnamese Nail Salon Workers

Saturday, October 25, 2025
8:00 AM - 9:15 AM MT
Location: Kiosk 10

    Poster Presenter(s)

  • Brian Nguyen, BS

    Medical Student
    California University of Science and Medicine, School of Medicine
    Santa Ana, California

    • Co-Author(s)

  • Kathley LeTran, BS

    Medical Student
    David Geffen School of Medicine UCLA
    Torrance, California

  • Ivy T. Vo

    Research Intern
    University of California Los Angeles Neurology
    Milpitas, California

  • JH

    Jocelyn Ho, Other

    Undergraduate Research Assistant
    UCLA
    San Jose, California

  • SN

    Sophie Nguy, Other

    Undergraduate Student
    UCLA
    Garden Grove, California

  • CD

    Catherine Dinh, Other

    Research Assistant
    UCSD
    Newport Beach, California

  • AT

    Angela T. Tran, Other

    Research Assistant
    University of California, Riverside
    San Jose, California

  • Quynh Giao Pham, MD

    Staff Physiatrist
    Department of Physical Medicine and Rehab (117) West Los Angeles VA Healthcare
    Los Angeles, California

Disclosure(s):
Brian Nguyen, BS: No financial relationships to disclose
Kathley LeTran, BS: No financial relationships to disclose
Ivy T. Vo: No financial relationships to disclose
Background and/or Objectives: Vietnamese immigrants make up the majority of nail salon technicians in the U.S., yet their occupational health remains understudied. Given their extended work hours, repetitive motions, and inconsistent ergonomic protections, this study aims to identify correlates of musculoskeletal pain to inform culturally relevant workplace safety and public health interventions.

Design: Cross-sectional survey-based study.

Setting : 15 community-based nail salons located throughout California in the San Francisco Bay Area, Los Angeles County, Orange County, and San Diego County.

Participants : 36 Vietnamese nail salon technicians.

Interventions: Participants completed a one-time, anonymous 10-page, bilingual survey covering demographics, healthcare usage, workplace conditions, ergonomic exposures, and pain symptoms.

Main Outcome Measures: Presence of musculoskeletal symptoms, categorized as symptomatic or asymptomatic. Outcomes were analyzed by comparing age groups, weekly work hours, number of health visits, presence or absence of various chair features, and anatomical location of reported pain.

Results: Among 36 respondents, 22 (61.1%) reported musculoskeletal pain, most commonly in the lower back (59.1%), wrist/hand (45.5%), shoulder (40.9%), and neck (31.8%). Those working ≥30 hours per week were significantly more likely to report musculoskeletal pain than those working fewer hours (p = 0.035). However, break frequency (p = 0.478) and sitting time (p = 0.217) did not significantly differ between participants with and without musculoskeletal pain. Chair features—including armrests (p = 0.697), back support (p = 0.592), and cushioned seating (p = 0.592)—also showed no individual associations with pain. Additionally, pain presence was not significantly linked to age (p = 0.592) or annual health visits (p = 0.306).

Conclusions: This study suggests that work hours are a key contributor to musculoskeletal pain among Vietnamese nail salon workers. Interventions focusing on managing work duration may be more impactful than solely improving ergonomic conditions or workday structure. These findings highlight the need for workplace regulations that protect worker health while ensuring sustainable productivity, particularly in underserved labor sectors.