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Physical and psychosocial indicators among office workers from public sector with and without musculoskeletal symptoms

Issue title: IEA 2012: 18th World congress on Ergonomics - Designing a sustainable future

Article type: Research Article

Authors: Barbieri, Dechristian França | Nogueira, Helen Cristina | Bergamin, Letícia Januário | Oliveira, Ana Beatriz;

Affiliations: Graduate Program in Physical Therapy, Universidade Federal de São Carlos UFSCar, São Paulo,Brazil | Undergraduate Program in Physical Therapy, Universidade Federal de São Carlos UFSCar, São Paulo, Brazil

Note: [] Corresponding author. E-mail: [email protected]

Keywords: Physical Therapy, ergonomics, computer work, WRMD, psychosocial risk factors

DOI: 10.3233/WOR-2012-0481-2461

Journal: Work, vol. 41, no. Supplement 1, pp. 2461-2466, 2012

Published: 2012
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Abstract

Work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WRMD) are the result of the combination of different risk factors. They are very common among computer workers, mainly when neck and upper limbs are considered. Forty-two office workers from a public university participated in this study. They were divided into two groups: Symptomatic Subjects (SS, n=20) and Asymptomatic Subjects (AS, n=22), according to the Nordic Musculoskeletal Questionnaire (NMQ). Psychosocial indicators were assessed using the Job Content Questionnaire (JCQ) and Utrecht Work Engagement Scale (UWES). Workplaces were evaluated according to the Ergonomic Workplace Analysis (EWA), proposed by the Finnish Institute of Occupational Health. The NMQ showed higher weekly prevalence of complaints on neck, shoulders and wrist/hands (p=0.00) among SS. The annual prevalence of symptoms on wrist/hands was also higher among SS (p=0.02). The JCQ did not show any difference between groups (p>0.05). Higher proportion of servers with ‘high level’ of engagement, dedication and absorption, according to UWES, was identified among SS (p<0.01). EWA showed worse scores for ‘Work Site’, ‘Job Content’ and ‘Repetitiveness of the Work’ among SS (p<0.05). Servers are exposed to physical and psychosocial risk factors that can contribute to the development of WRMD. Work conditions need to be change in order to improve musculoskeletal health.

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