Interventions for Musculoskeletal Disorders in Computer-Intense Office Work: A Framework for Evaluation

Details

• Personal Author:
  Cole DC ; Wells RP
• Description:
  Workplace interventions for work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSDs) are usually multifaceted. These interventions tend to deal with multiple work organizational and physical risk factors and have components occurring at different organizational levels. The organizations are often changing, with shifting initiatives and priorities. Evaluation of such interventions poses challenges in documentation of implementation, reduction in exposures, and assessment of improved health outcomes. We describe a means-outcomes framework for evaluating field interventions that includes strategies, activities, objectives and metrics for outcomes using quantitative and qualitative methods. We demonstrate application of the framework to our work with a large newspaper, which builds on existing laboratory, aetiological and best practice evidence to improve musculoskeletal health. The newspaper had adopted several organizational strategies aimed at improving financial performance, including restructuring into teams, a major set of moves/renovations and introduction of new software. Concomitant WMSD-related organizational strategies include an ergonomics policy, human resources activities, promotion of team work, changes in environment and equipment specifications and development of information systems. We have found the framework useful for focusing the purpose of data collection and ensuring coverage of important components. At the same time, it provides sufficient flexibility to respond to the changing process of implementation. [Description provided by NIOSH]
• Subjects:
  Ergonomics Mental Health Musculoskeletal Diseases Occupational Exposure Occupational Health Risk Assessment Risk Factors Safety Stress, Psychological
• Keywords:
  Author Keywords: Intervention Evaluation Job-analysis Job-stress Musculoskeletal-system-disorders Musculoskeletal Disorders Occupational-exposure Occupational-health Psychological-stress Qualitative-analysis Quantitative-analysis Risk-factors Stress Work Organization Work Stress

  More +
• ISSN:
  0267-8373
• Document Type:
  Text
• Funding:
  Grant
• Genre:
  Journal Article
• CIO:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
• Topic:
  Workplace Safety & Health
• Location:
  North America
• Pages in Document:
  95-106
• Volume:
  16
• Issue:
  2
• NIOSHTIC Number:
  nn:20024347
• Citation:
  Work Stress 2002 Apr-Jun; 16(2):95-106
• Contact Point Address:
  Institute for Work and Health, 481 University Avenue, Suite 800, Toronto, Ontario, Canada, M5G 2E9
• Email:
  dcole@iwh.on.ca
• Federal Fiscal Year:
  2002
• Performing Organization:
  The Institute for Work and Health, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
• Peer Reviewed:
  True
• Start Date:
  19990930
• Source Full Name:
  Work and Stress
• End Date:
  20030929
• Collection(s):
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:73f3241c6f5be5d0ee4c55f193d105631283bbbb4fb901b286796c6f7c4de520a7a5b4f7087b7f1c3870fac4be1fede33c1608c37b4a87e089a2652c613098a2
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/196196/cdc_196196_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 281.24 KB ]