Work - Volume 43, issue 4

Authors: Falkenberg, A. | Nyfjäll, M. | Hellgren, C.

Article Type: Research Article

Abstract: Objective: The aim of this longitudinal study is to investigate how different aspects of social support at work and in leisure time are associated with self rated health and sickness absence. Participants: The 541 participants in the study were representative for a working population in the public sector in Sweden with a majority being woman. Methods: Most of the variables were created from data from a questionnaire in March – April 2005. There were four independent …variables and two dependent variables. The dependent were based on data from November 2006. A logistic regression model was used for the analysis of associations. A separate model was adapted for each of the explanatory variables for each outcome, which gave five models per independent variable. Results: The study has given a greater awareness of the importance of employees receiving social support, regardless of type of support or from whom the support is coming. Conclusion: Social support has a strong association with SRH in a longitudinal perspective and no association between social support and sickness absence. Show more

Keywords: Environmental health, occupational health, sickness absence, social support

DOI: 10.3233/WOR-2012-1381

Citation: Work, vol. 43, no. 4, pp. 469-474, 2012

Authors: Glavare, Maria | Löfgren, Monika | Schult, Marie-Louise

Article Type: Research Article

Abstract: Objective: This study explored and analysed how patients experienced possibilities for, and barriers to, work return after participation in a multi-professional pain-rehabilitation program followed by a coached work-training program (CWT). Participants: Eleven informants (8 women/3 men) with long-term musculoskeletal pain who had participated in the CWT program for 4–21 months (mean=11) comprised the study. Methods: A qualitative emergent design was used. Data collected with interviews were analysed using the constant comparison method …of grounded theory. Triangulation in researchers were used. Results: The analyses of the interviews resulted in the development of a three-category theoretical model, which was named "a way back to work". The main category "Experience of a way back to work" consisted of the informants' experience during the process between unemployment and employment. The category "Support" describes the help the informants received from various actors, and the category "Negative response" describes negative responses from the actors involved, which was an important barrier in the process between unemployment and employment. Conclusion: Professional individualised support, participants feeling involved in their rehabilitation process, coaching at real workplaces and multi-professional team including health care personnel, were valuable during the process towards work. Show more

Keywords: Vocational rehabilitation, return to work, coaching, long-term sick-leave, facilitators, barriers

DOI: 10.3233/WOR-2012-1394

Citation: Work, vol. 43, no. 4, pp. 475-485, 2012

Authors: Allen, Jaclyn L. | James, Carole | Snodgrass, Suzanne J.

Article Type: Research Article

Abstract: Objective: The role of biomechanics during the overhead lift has not been widely investigated. This study aimed to evaluate any change in biomechanics between safe minimum and safe maximum overhead lifts during the WorkHab Functional Capacity Evaluation. Method: Thirty healthy participants (age range 18–22 years) were videotaped completing the overhead lift. Images at the beginning (0/3), one-third (1/3), two-thirds (2/3), and end of lift (3/3) were collected for the minimum and safe maximum lifts …Measurement of joint angles of the wrist, elbow, shoulder and sagittal spine using Dartfish Prosuite software was completed. Paired t-tests were used to analyse the differences in joint angles between lifts. Results: Participants' biomechanics changed between the minimum and maximum lifts In comparison to minimum lifts, there was increased wrist ulnar deviation (10.50, 95% CI 4.39, 16.61, p=0.002), increased shoulder flexion (7.26, 95% CI 0.50, 14.01, p=0.036), increased thoracic extension (−3.40, 95% CI −5.36, −1.45, p=0.001), increased lumbar extension (3.75, 95% CI 1.39, 6.12, p=0.003), and decreased elbow flexion (−11.28, 95% CI −18.57, −4.00, p=0.004) in the maximum lifts. Conclusions: The results of this study provide insight into biomechanical changes during the overhead lifting, and support the clinical judgements made by the WorkHab assessor in determining safe maximal lift. Show more

Keywords: Lifting, functional capacity evaluation, work capacity evaluation biomechanics

DOI: 10.3233/WOR-2012-1386

Citation: Work, vol. 43, no. 4, pp. 487-496, 2012

Authors: Kanchanomai, Siriluck | Janwantanakul, Prawit | Pensri, Praneet | Jiamjarasrangsi, Wiroj

Article Type: Research Article

Abstract: Objective: This study aimed to investigate the 3-month prevalence of musculoskeletal symptoms at the spine attributed to computer use and to identify biopsychosocial factors associated with the prevalence in undergraduate students. Participants: Undergraduate students who studied at a public university in Thailand. Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted with a self-administered questionnaire delivered to 3,545 students. Results: A total of 2,511 students (73.7%) returned the questionnaires. Cervical symptoms (22.3%) were the …most frequently reported, followed by thoracic (11%) and lumbar symptoms (10.7%). Females, daily computer use greater than three hours and too-high keyboard's position were significantly associated with a high prevalence of cervical symptoms. A significant association was found between higher undergraduate year of the study and too-high keyboard's position and a high prevalence of thoracic symptoms. Higher undergraduate year of the study and daily computer use greater than three hours were significantly related to a high prevalence of lumbar symptoms. Better-than-normal mental health status was associated with a low prevalence of lumbar symptoms. Conclusion: Spinal symptoms are common among undergraduate students. Various factors were identified to be associated with high prevalence of spinal symptoms. Further research investigating the causal relation between these factors and musculoskeletal symptoms should be conducted. Show more

Keywords: Pain, cervical, thoracic, lumbar, college student

DOI: 10.3233/WOR-2012-1387

Citation: Work, vol. 43, no. 4, pp. 497-506, 2012

Authors: Rahman, Mohd Nasrull Abdol | Rani, Mat Rebi Abdul | Rohani, Jafri Mohd

Article Type: Research Article

Abstract: Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate the work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSDs) among workers in wall plastering jobs within the construction industry. Participants: A total of 43 workers within three workplaces participated in the study. Methods: Subjects were interviewed using self-report charts. During the task duration, observation of the workplace was carried out using a Workplace Ergonomic Risk Assessment (WERA) method. Results: An analysis of WERA assessment, the wrist score for WERA …body part was >4 in 86% of workers, while wrist pain or discomfort was reported by 86%, yielding a significant association between WERA body part score and self-reported pain (χ ^{2}= 16.12; p=0.000). The WERA body part score for the shoulder regions during wall plastering job yielded a score > 4 in 93% and caused shoulder pain or discomfort in 91%, the association being significant (χ ^{2} =12.58; p=0.000). The back regions for WERA body part score was >4 in 91% of workers, with 98% reporting pain or back discomfort, with a significant association (χ^{2} =9.98; p=0.002). Conclusions: These results showed that statistically significance for the wrist, shoulder and back regions of the individual WERA body part scores were affecting the worker and lead to the development of pain or discomfort among workers in wall plastering jobs. Show more

Keywords: Ergonomic risk assessment, observation method, physical risk factors, workplace, WERA tool

DOI: 10.3233/WOR-2012-1404

Citation: Work, vol. 43, no. 4, pp. 507-514, 2012

Authors: Fiedler, Krysia M. | Weir, Patricia L. | van Wyk, Paula M. | Andrews, David M.

Article Type: Research Article

Abstract: Objective: Patient transfers have been implicated as a contributing factor in the high work-related musculoskeletal disorder (MSD) rate in nursing. However, documenting how much time is spent doing such tasks, compared to other less biomechanically stressful tasks in the workplace, has been limited, and not performed to date using a video-based approach. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to determine the feasibility of documenting all job-related nursing tasks performed during a typical shift in a …hospital setting using video. Participants: Ten female nurses from an acute care hospital who worked in different units and during all three shifts. Methods: Nurses working in different units of the hospital were videotaped performing their normal job-related tasks for a 2 hour period. Video records were subsequently analyzed to identify and categorize all tasks performed by each nurse. Results: Overall, nurses spent less than 7% of their time during patient moving and transfer activities. One third of their time was spent walking, standing and sitting, 19.8% charting, 14.7% in patient care, 13.9% preparing medicines, 9.5% in housekeeping, and about 3% in self-care. Conclusions: This study showed that video-based methods are feasible for documenting what nurses do in the workplace. It also highlighted the diversity and non-repetitive nature of the workplace tasks nurses perform and suggests that ergonomic assessments of the cumulative effects of work on nurses in the field should focus on more than just patient handling activities. Show more

Keywords: Patient transfers, nursing tasks, posture, video, time study

DOI: 10.3233/WOR-2012-1419

Citation: Work, vol. 43, no. 4, pp. 515-523, 2012

Article Type: Other

Citation: Work, vol. 43, no. 4, pp. 525-528, 2012

Article Type: Other

Citation: Work, vol. 43, no. 4, pp. 529-531, 2012