Affiliations: Ergonomics and Human Performance Laboratory,
Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University,
Hong Kong, China | Occupational Therapy Department, Prince Margaret
Hospital, Hong Kong, China
Note: [] Corresponding author: Andy S.K. Cheng, Ergonomics and Human
Performance Laboratory, Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, The Hong Kong
Polytechnic University, Hung Hom, Kowloon, Hong Kong, China. Tel.: +852 2766
5396; Fax: +852 2330 8656; E-mail: [email protected]
Abstract: BACKGROUND: Work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSDs) are a
major public health concern. There has been a strong demand from occupational
safety and health agencies and operators to develop simple tools for risk
assessment and management of WMSDs. The Quick Exposure Check (QEC) was designed
to assess exposure to WMSDs risk factors affecting the back, shoulder/upper
arm, wrist/hand, and the neck. It is a valuable observational ergonomic
assessment tool, suitable for field-based assessment. OBJECTIVE: This study set out to translate, culturally adapt, and
validate a Chinese version of the Quick Exposure Check (CQEC), an observational
tool used to assess exposure to physical and psychosocial workplace risk
factors for the development of WMSDs in different body sites. METHODS: The CQEC was translated from its original English version
using a forward- and back-translation approach. Content validity was examined
by an expert panel and expert committee using item- and scale-level content
validity indices. The intra-class correlation coefficient (ICC) was used to
analyze the inter-rater reliability of the observer's assessment, with kappa
statistics and percentage agreements used to estimate the test-retest
reliability of the worker's assessment of individual items. RESULTS: The CQEC demonstrated an excellent scale-level content
validity index (S-CVI > 0.90). The ICC lay between 0.71 and 0.97, indicating
good inter-rater reliability. Test-retest reliability showed substantial
agreement between the two measurement occasions for most of the items
(kappa=0.68 to 1, percentage agreement=76 to 100%) capturing exposure to risk
factors. CONCLUSIONS: The CQEC is a valid and reliable tool that can be used
to calculate levels of exposure to risk factors for WMSDs.
Keywords: Work-related musculoskeletal disorders, Chinese Quick Exposure Check, validation
