Work - Volume 49, issue 4

Authors: Sherrod, Chuck | Johnson, Dale | Chester, Bruce

Article Type: Research Article

Abstract: BACKGROUND: One hundred and sixty million office workers (knowledge workers) in the U.S. and 2/3 of the developed countries use computers on a daily basis. OBJECTIVE: Investigate the effectiveness of ergonomic and diversified chiropractic care for the reduction of pain, discomfort and impaired productivity in knowledge workers presenting with neck and upper extremity musculoskeletal complaints. METHODS: A one-year prospective case series (n=5 applying ergonomic job task analyses and ongoing surveillance at baseline, …8 weeks, 16 weeks and one-year for musculoskeletal discomfort (CMDQ and VAS, quality of life (Rand SF-36, productivity and forward head posture (FHP). RESULTS: CMDQ and VAS scores decreased by 45% (neck) and 80% (upper extremities); productivity increased from 65% to 100%; physical functioning, role physical and role emotional improved for 4 of 5 subjects; body pain and general health improved for 3 of 5. Average FHP changed from 1-inch (baseline) to 1/4-inch (16-weeks) to 1/2-inch (one year). CONCLUSIONS: Effectiveness of this intervention for the reduction of risks depended upon the subject's adoption of safe workstyle behaviors and postures. A transtheoretical model (TTM) for behavior change is discussed as a possible methodology to enhance the adoption of safer work habits. Show more

Keywords: Ergonomics job task analysis, upper extremity musculoskeletal disorder, chiropractic care, transtheoretical model, behavior change

DOI: 10.3233/WOR-131732

Citation: Work, vol. 49, no. 4, pp. 641-651, 2014

Authors: Kumar, Ajit | Maskara, Sanjeev | Chiang, I-Jen

Article Type: Research Article

Abstract: BACKGROUND: The prevalence of chronic diseases and disabilities are higher in older adults, which is one of the key factors of rising health care costs. Health care stakeholders wish older adults to take more control of their health to delay the onset of age-related disabilities and chronic diseases. Engaging older adults in their health care decision making would cut down health care costs and prepare a health care system to be more sustainable. OBJECTIVE: We used the Human-Centered …Design approach to propose a prototype that more effectively engages older adults in their health care decision-making. METHODS: Four participants from four different countries – Taiwan, USA, Austria, and Germany; and two facilitators from the USA participated in this study. The participants interviewed a total of four subjects in their respective countries. This study used the Human-Centered Design approach, which embraced three main phases – observation, identification, and ideation. Each phase involved brainstorming, voting, and consensus among participants. RESULTS: This study derived 14 insights, 20 categories, 4 themes, a conceptual framework, some potential solutions, and a prototype. CONCLUSIONS: This study showed that older adults could be engaged in their health care decision-making by offering them health care products and services that were user-friendly and technology enabled. A 'gradual change management plan' could assist older adults to adopt technologies more effectively. The health care products and services should be centered on the needs of older adults. Moreover, the possibilities of older adults maintaining control over their own health may rely on proper timing, a personal approach, right products, and services. Show more

Keywords: Aging, product design, services, technology, health care cost

DOI: 10.3233/WOR-131695

Citation: Work, vol. 49, no. 4, pp. 653-661, 2014

Authors: Taghi Karimi, Mohammad | Jamshidi, Nima | Bahreinizad, Hossein | Bani, Milad Salimi | Omar, Abdul Hafidz Haji

Article Type: Research Article

Abstract: BACKGROUND: Stability during standing is achieved by a complex process which involves the performance of various systems. Using a force plate for analysing the stability for a period of one minute has been reported exclusively by many investigators. Most of people stand for a long period of time when chatting with somebody, doing a job and when waiting in a queue. However nobody has analysed the stability during quiet standing for a prolonged standing (5 minutes). …OBJECTIVE: The main aim of this research study was to analyse the performance of the subjects regarding stability for a period of 5 minutes. METHOD: A group of 40 normal subjects from the staff and students of Rehabilitation Faculty of Isfahan University of Medical Sciences were recruited in this research project. They were asked to stand on the force plate (Kistler) for a period of 5 minutes. They were instructed to look straight ahead and with their head erect and their arms at their sides in a comfortable position. The excursions of the COP sway in both planes were measured for all 20 seconds periods of data collection. RESULTS: The results of this research study showed that stability analysing based on the sway of the COP, while the test was collected for one minute, is not recommended. There is a significant difference between the excursions of the COP during the first to fifth minutes. The stability of the subject was optimum in the third and fourth minutes of standing. CONCLUSION: Using the COP sway, based on the first minute of standing, is neither a good representative of the more stable position nor the unstable position. It is recommended to discuss the stability of subjects based on their ability to return from an unstable position to a more stable position. Show more

Keywords: Prolonged standing, stability, COP sway

DOI: 10.3233/WOR-131699

Citation: Work, vol. 49, no. 4, pp. 663-668, 2014

Authors: Prati, Gabriele | Pietrantoni, Luca

Article Type: Research Article

Abstract: BACKGROUND: Previous studies have shown that surgical team members' attitudes about safety and teamwork in the operating theatre may play a role in patient safety. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to assess attitudes about teamwork and safety among Italian surgeons and operating room nurses. METHODS: Fifty-five surgeons and 48 operating room nurses working in operating theatres at one hospital in Italy completed the Operating Room Management Attitudes Questionnaire (ORMAQ). RESULTS: …Results showed several discrepancies in attitudes about teamwork and safety between surgeons and operating room nurses. Surgeons had more positive views on the quality of surgical leadership, communication, teamwork, and organizational climate in the theatre than operating room nurses. Operating room nurses reported that safety rules and procedures were more frequently disregarded than the surgeons. CONCLUSIONS: The results are only partially aligned with previous ORMAQ surveys of surgical teams in other countries. The differences emphasize the influence of national culture, as well as the particular healthcare system. This study shows discrepancies on many aspects in attitudes to teamwork and safety between surgeons and operating room nurses. The findings support implementation and use of team interventions and human factor training. Finally, attitude surveys provide a method for assessing safety culture in surgery, for evaluating the effectiveness of training initiatives, and for collecting data for a hospital's quality assurance programme. Show more

Keywords: Leadership, patient safety, surgery, human factors

DOI: 10.3233/WOR-131702

Citation: Work, vol. 49, no. 4, pp. 669-677, 2014

Authors: Wilson, Iseult M. | Doherty, Liz | McKeown, Laura

Article Type: Research Article

Abstract: BACKGROUND: Playing-related musculoskeletal disorders (PRMDs) are common in musicians and interfere with the ability to play an instrument at the accustomed level. There is limited research into injuries affecting folk musicians. OBJECTIVE: To explore the Irish traditional musicians' experience of PRMDs. METHODS: Focus group interviews were conducted in 2011 and 2012, in two venues in Ireland. Data were recorded and transcribed verbatim. Data collection ended when no new findings emerged from the …analysis of interviews. The inclusion criteria were: males or females aged 18 and above, and who taught or played Irish traditional music on any instrument. The data were analysed using the interpretative phenomenological method. RESULTS: All participants (n=22) believed there was a link between playing music and musculoskeletal problems. The main body areas affected were the back, shoulders, arms and hands. The main theme that emerged was: 'PRMDs are an integral part of being a traditional musician', and that the musical experience was generally prioritised over the health of the musician. There were sub-themes of 'fear' and 'stresses that contributed to PRMDs'. CONCLUSIONS: PRMDs are an occupational hazard for Irish musicians. There is an awareness of PRMDs, but changes (technique, environment) may threaten identity. Show more

Keywords: Injury, disability, pain, folk music, work, leisure

DOI: 10.3233/WOR-131737

Citation: Work, vol. 49, no. 4, pp. 679-688, 2014

Authors: Hunter, D. | Silverstein, B.

Article Type: Research Article

Abstract: BACKGROUND: Work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSDs) remain a major occupational health problem, despite decades of research, outreach, and intervention. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study is to promote early identification and prevention of WMSDs by developing education and outreach materials grounded in interview data collected from workers that have recently filed for workers compensation (WC) for WMSDs. PROCEDURES: We conducted semi-structured telephone interviews with WC claimants (n=66) from high risk industries identified through …the use of a Prevention Index (PI) in Washington state with WMSDs of the back, shoulder, hand/wrist, or knee. RESULTS: Perceptions regarding the degree of exposure to WMSD risk factors, the social construction of pain, and the potential to implement injury-prevention measures varied widely. Many workers dismissed their injuries as the result of "fluke" or "freak" occurrences and framed their exposure to risk factors for WMSDs as either inevitable or "just part of the job." CONCLUSIONS: Workers in high-risk industries for WMSDs described their work conditions in ways that suggested: (1) a lack of awareness of the potential for developing a WMSD, (2) a view of work-related pain as normal, and/or (3) a pattern of self-blame for WMSD onset. A paradigm that either asserts the inevitability of WMSDs or dismisses potential control measures presents both a significant barrier to injury prevention efforts as well as a major opportunity for future occupational health research. Show more

Keywords: Cumulative trauma, risk awareness, safety climate, injury prevention, early identification

DOI: 10.3233/WOR-131697

Citation: Work, vol. 49, no. 4, pp. 689-703, 2014

Authors: Wang, Pin-Chieh | Delp, Linda

Article Type: Research Article

Abstract: BACKGROUND: Taxi drivers work long hours for low wages and report hypertension, weight gain, and musculoskeletal pain associated with the sedentary nature of their job, stressful working conditions, and poor dietary habits. They also experience a high work-related fatality rate. OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study is to examine the association of taxi drivers' health status and level of job stress with work-related injury and determine if a potential interaction exists. METHODS: A survey of 309 …Los Angeles taxi drivers provides basic data on health status, job stress, and work-related injuries. We further analyzed the data using a Modified Poisson regression approach with a robust error variance to estimate the relative risk (RR) and the 95% confidence intervals (CI) of work-related injuries. Focus group results supplemented and helped interpret the quantitative data. RESULTS: The joint effect of good health and low job stress was associated with a large reduction in the incidence of injuries, consistent with the hypothesis that health status and stress levels modify each other on the risk of work-related injury. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that the combination of stress reduction and health management programs together with changes in the stressful conditions of the job may provide targeted avenues to prevent injuries. Show more

Keywords: Stressors, taxi driver injuries, worker alliance, health promotion

DOI: 10.3233/WOR-131696

Citation: Work, vol. 49, no. 4, pp. 705-712, 2014

Authors: Cengiz, Tulin Gunduz

Article Type: Research Article

Abstract: BACKGROUND: The anthropometric characteristics of the Turkish female population are needed for the design of safe and ergonomically efficient workplaces. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to determine the anthropometric characteristics of the Turkish female population in one region. For this purpose, 56 anthropometric parameters were measured according to ISO 7250. PARTICIPANTS: Two hundred and twenty-five Turkish women participants who were aged 18+ years were selected to participate in the study. …METHODS: The measurements were obtained with an anthropometry measuring set. Principal component analysis was used to create statistical models to draw on information from two or more databases to estimate values for a large range of anthropometric variables. A reliability analysis was carried out on survey data to ensure the internal consistency of the constructs. RESULTS: The results of this study showed that the following five factors allow for a good general description of human body shapes for the Turkish female population: "corpulence", "length of body parts", "upper body length", "length of arm" and "hip-thigh region". CONCLUSIONS: The data provided by this study can help to solve a wide range of design problems, including product ergonomics and workplace ergonomics in manufacturing. Show more

Keywords: Anthropometry, workplace design, factor analysis, ergonomics, Turkish female

DOI: 10.3233/WOR-141836

Citation: Work, vol. 49, no. 4, pp. 713-722, 2014

Authors: Robstad Andersen, Gunn | Westgaard, Rolf H.

Article Type: Research Article

Abstract: BACKGROUND: Home care workers are at risk of various harmful occupational exposures, health complaints and sick leave. OBJECTIVE: Identifying occupational exposures related to shoulder-neck and low back pain, and assessing the comparative importance of such exposures, for home care workers. METHODS: One hundred and thirty-eight home care workers in a large municipality in Norway participated in the study (response rate 76.2%). Questionnaire comprised a combination of standardized items and context-specific VAS scales on mental, …social, emotional and physical work demands, perceived general tension and pain in shoulder-neck and low back. RESULTS: Severe pain scores for both shoulder-neck and low back regions were common, with individual variations. All VAS measures on occupational exposures were significantly correlated with shoulder-neck pain and all except social demands were significantly correlated with low back pain. However, stronger associations were found with perceived general tension, which proved to be the strongest predictor of shoulder-neck and low back pain, indicating a mediating effect in the relationship between occupational exposures and musculoskeletal pain. CONCLUSIONS: Identifying and alleviating occupational exposures is important to ensure a healthy and sustainable work environment. Special attention should be drawn to early signs of symptoms, such as general tension, preventing further development of musculoskeletal pain. Show more

Keywords: Musculoskeletal symptoms, psychosocial risk factors, work environment, health care

DOI: 10.3233/WOR-131710

Citation: Work, vol. 49, no. 4, pp. 723-733, 2014

Authors: Yoo and, In-gyu | Yoo, Won-gyu

Article Type: Research Article

Abstract: BACKGROUND: Several risk factors for upper-extremity muscle injuries are known, including repetitive and continuous-flow assembly work. However, no study has investigated the changes in the cervical flexion-relaxation ratio (FRR) and scapular position after continuous detailed assembly work. OBJECTIVE: This study investigated the changes in the cervical FRR, trapezius muscle pain, and acromion and scapular positions after continuous detailed assembly work. METHODS: Fifteen male workers were recruited. The cervical FRR, pressure-pain threshold (PPT) …of the upper and middle trapezius muscle, and acromion and scapular positions were measured in all subjects once before and once after detailed assembly work. RESULTS: The cervical FRR after detailed assembly work was significantly decreased compared with that before detailed assembly work. The PPT of the upper and middle trapezius muscle after detailed assembly work was significantly decreased compared with that before detailed assembly work. The acromion angle after detailed assembly work was significantly decreased compared with that before detailed assembly work. The scapular inferior distance after detailed assembly was significantly increased compared with that before detailed assembly work. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest that detailed assembly work may cause the absence of FRR, upper trapezius and middle trapezius pain, and scapular malalignment associated with a potential risk of neck and shoulder pain. Show more

Keywords: Palpation meter, scapular position, upper trapezius pain

DOI: 10.3233/WOR-131717

Citation: Work, vol. 49, no. 4, pp. 735-739, 2014