Undergraduate college students' upper extremity symptoms and functional limitations related to computer use: A replication study

Article type: Research Article

Authors: Jenkins, Mark | Menéndez, Cammie Chaumont | Amick, III, Benjamin C.^; | Tullar, Jessica | Hupert, Nathaniel | Robertson, Michelle M. | Katz, Jeffrey N.

Affiliations: Student Health Services, Rice University, Houston, TX, USA | University of Texas at Houston School of Public Health, Southwest Center for Occupational and Environmental Health, Houston, TX, USA | Institute for Work and Health, Toronto, Ontario, Canada | Department of Public Health, Division of Outcomes and Effectiveness Research, Weill Medical College of Cornell University, New York, USA | Liberty Mutual Research Institute for Safety, Hopkinton, MA, USA | Robert B. Brigham Arthritis and Musculoskeletal Diseases Clinical Research Center, Division of Rheumatology, Immunology and Allergy, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA

Note: [] Address for correspondence: C.C. Menéndez, MPH, MS, The University of Texas Health Science Center – Houston, School of Public Health, 1200 Herman Pressler, # 1004-G, Houston, TX 77030, USA. Tel.: +1 713 500 9496; Fax: +1 713 500 9442; E-mail: [email protected]

Abstract: Purpose: To replicate Hupert et al.'s [5] evaluation of computer-related upper extremity musculoskeletal symptoms, functional limitations, academic performance impact, medication use and health services utilization among a college student population. Subjects and methods: A cross-sectional survey of undergraduate students living in a single residential dormitory at a private southwestern university who agreed to participate completed the College Computing & Health Survey in the Spring of 2001. Results: Of the 127 dormitory residents, 116 students participated and 54% reported experiencing symptoms associated with computer usage. Sixty-two percent of students surveyed experienced functional limitations. More women than men reported symptoms, functional limitations and neck and shoulder pain; those with functional limitations reported higher use of medications than other participants. Conclusion: These findings, which match the general findings of the previous research study conducted with the same instrument but in a different college student population, suggest a high level of computer-use-related musculoskeletal symptoms among college students. Universities may want to consider providing ergonomic training designed for college students to: conduct workstation assessments; identify computer related problems (risk factors); and, propose ergonomic solutions.

Keywords: Musculoskeletal, college students, functional status, health care utilization

Journal: Work, vol. 28, no. 3, pp. 231-238, 2007