College Students and Computers: Assessment of Usage Patterns and Musculoskeletal Discomfort

Details

• Personal Author:
  Cooper KN ; Mirka GA ; Sommerich CM
• Description:
  Time pressure from deadlines, awkward body postures and long-duration, continuous computer use are associated with musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) in workers using computers. Few studies have examined computer-use-related MSDs in college students. This study investigated computer use patterns of college students, and made comparisons to a group of computer-using professionals. 234 students completed a web-based questionnaire on computer use habits and discomfort students associated with computer use. As a group, students reported their computer use to be at least 'Somewhat likely' 18 out of 24 h/day, compared to 12 h for the professionals. Students reported more uninterrupted work behaviours than the professionals. Younger graduate students reported 33.7 average weekly computing hours, similar to hours reported by younger professionals. Students generally reported more frequent upper extremity discomfort than the professionals. Frequent assumption of awkward postures was associated with frequent discomfort. Results signal a need for intervention prior to entry into the workforce. [Description provided by NIOSH]
• Subjects:
  Engineering Mining Noise Noise, Occupational Occupational Health Safety
• Keywords:
  Computer-equipment Computers Cumulative-trauma-disorders Ergonomics Humans Injuries Injury-prevention Muscular-disorders Musculoskeletal-system Musculoskeletal-system-disorders Work-areas Work-operations

  More +
• ISBN:
  9780945289241
• ISSN:
  1071-1813
• Publisher:
  Human Factors and Ergonomics Society
• Document Type:
  Text
• Funding:
  Grant
• Genre:
  Proceedings
• Place as Subject:
  Louisiana ; North Carolina ; Ohio ; OSHA Region 4 ; OSHA Region 5 ; OSHA Region 6
• CIO:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
• Topic:
  Workplace Safety & Health
• Location:
  North America
• Volume:
  48
• Issue:
  12
• NIOSHTIC Number:
  nn:20025968
• Citation:
  Proceedings of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society 48th Annual Meeting, September 20-24, 2004, New Orleans, Louisiana. Santa Monica, CA: Human Factors and Ergonomics Society, 2004 Sep; 48(12):1339-1343
• Federal Fiscal Year:
  2004
• NORA Priority Area:
  Research Tools and Approaches: Exposure Assessment Methods
• Performing Organization:
  North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina
• Peer Reviewed:
  True
• Start Date:
  19990901
• Source Full Name:
  Proceedings of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society 48th Annual Meeting, September 20-24, 2004, New Orleans, Louisiana
• End Date:
  20040831
• Collection(s):
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:49aabaf7e79e9dddd820524c03fe16eb258baea03f58bc4d0b70238c3e9b3e84310aac841709ef0ba1064525c69c2ab25da3de9adc9ec374a4abbb9117f21be1
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/197120/cdc_197120_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 134.66 KB ]