Hotel housekeepers are exposed to high physical workload, repetitive tasks, time pressure, and limited social recognition. These occupational conditions may increase the risk of work-related health problems, particularly musculoskeletal disorders, and negatively affect functional capacity and long-term work sustainability. The objective of this systematic review was to synthesise the available evidence on the most prevalent work-related health conditions among hotel housekeepers and to examine their association with work-related risk factors. A systematic review was conducted in accordance with PRISMA guidelines. Electronic searches were performed in PubMed, Scopus, CINAHL, Embase, and Web of Science in November 2025 and updated on 18 March 2026. Eligible observational studies reporting the prevalence of work-related health conditions among hotel housekeepers were included. Study selection, data extraction, and quality appraisal (Joanna Briggs Institute tools) were conducted independently by reviewers. Findings were synthesised narratively and, where appropriate, pooled using random-effects meta-analysis with inverse-variance weighting, Freeman–Tukey double arcsine transformation, and restricted maximum likelihood estimation of between-study variance (τ²). Statistical heterogeneity was assessed using the I² statistic. Eight studies met the inclusion criteria and were included in the systematic review. All examined musculoskeletal disorders, consistently reporting high prevalence rates. Five of these studies contributed to the meta-analysis; pooled 12-month prevalence was highest for low back pain (73.0%; 95% CI: 42.9–90.7), followed by wrist/hand (54.7%; 95% CI: 27.7–79.2), shoulder (48.2%; 95% CI: 10.8–87.7), and neck (40.1%; 95% CI: 3.2–93.2). Several studies identified significant associations between musculoskeletal symptoms and labour exposures, including biomechanical load, repetitive movements, work organisation, adverse psychosocial conditions, and specific factors such as the number of beds made per shift, lack of training, and low job satisfaction. Substantial heterogeneity limited comparability across studies. Hotel housekeepers represent a particularly vulnerable occupational group with a high burden of work-related musculoskeletal disorders. The limited number of studies and their heterogeneity highlight the need for more robust, standardised epidemiological research. Preventive strategies addressing ergonomic design, workload management, and psychosocial risk factors are warranted to mitigate health risks and promote long-term occupational well-being in this workforce. The review protocol was registered in PROSPERO (CRD420261288316).
Sánchez-González et al. (Wed,) studied this question.