Introduction: Musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) are a critical occupational health issue, particularly among dental professionals, where repetitive tasks, prolonged postures, ergonomic challenges, and psychosocial stressors contribute to their high prevalence. Existing literature highlights musculoskeletal issues, but gaps remain in understanding their prevalence and causes among primary oral healthcare personnel in Malaysia. Materials and methods: A multistage sampling technique was used to recruit a representative sample of 330 respondents from Malaysian primary oral healthcare personnel in various job roles within government dentistry facilities. Nordic Musculoskeletal Questionnaires (NMQ) were distributed to investigate the prevalence of musculoskeletal issues among the participants. Results: Of the participants, 53.4% of females and 46.6% of males reported experiencing work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WR-MSD). The neck was the most affected region, with a prevalence of 65.5%. Musculoskeletal disorders were more prevalent among individuals with longer years of service, with dental officers being the most affected type of designation. Conclusion: This study highlights the high prevalence of musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) among Malaysian primary oral healthcare personnel, emphasising the need for targeted ergonomic interventions and workplace practice improvements to enhance occupational health and wellbeing.

Introduction: Despite abundant sunshine for cutaneous vitamin D synthesis, low levels of vitamin D have been documented among the Malaysian population. The aim of this study was to characterise the effects of occupational sunlight exposure and monsoon season on serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] concentration. Methods: A comparative cross-sectional study was performed among Malay outdoor (n=119) and indoor workers (n=119) in Kelantan. Two-point data were collected on the same participants, first during non-monsoon season and second during the northeast monsoon season. Data collection comprised of anthropometry measurements (body mass index and body fat), fasting blood test [serum 25(OH)D concentration], and questionnaire (physical activity level, sun exposure, sun protection use, and vitamin D intake). Vitamin D classification was based on the 2011 Endocrine Society Clinical Practice Guidelines. Results: This study found that serum 25(OH)D concentrations were significantly higher in outdoor compared to indoor workers irrespective of season (p<0.001) and sex (p<0.001). Monsoonal differences in serum 25(OH)D concentration was only observed in male outdoor workers (mean difference=10.39 nmol/l, p<0.001). Significant association between vitamin D status and occupation was also observed (p<0.001). However, no significant association was found between vitamin D status and monsoon season [χ2(1)=0.076, p=0.783]. Conclusion: Seasonal and occupational factors should be considered while evaluating individual serum 25(OH)D concentration and in comparing community studies, especially among workers.