Methodological limitations in the study of video display terminal use and upper extremity musculoskeletal disorders

Details

• Personal Author:
  Gerr F ; Marcus M ; Ortiz DJ
• Description:
  The limitations and methodology inherent in human factors and epidemiological studies of upper extremity musculoskeletal disorders and video display terminal (VDT) use were considered. Human factors studies, while frequently being used to question the safety of data entry tasks, have suffered from the limitation of having a small number of subjects, and short term exposure under conditions found in the laboratory, and the questionable practice of using short term outcomes to predict chronic health effects. Difficulties in interpreting data taken from epidemiologic studies usually have been traced to limitations in the methodology established in the research outlines. These difficulties in epidemiologic studies relate to obtaining a poor measurement of exposure and health outcomes and neglecting potentially confounding variables. Some studies have improved the measures of VDT usage but these improvements have not resulted in improved consistencies in the findings. The authors stress the need for additional studies attempting to clarify exposure and effect relationships by well conducted epidemiologic studies. Research should examine associations between VDT use and upper extremity disorders but only when measures of both exposure and adverse health effects are standard, objective, and valid. [Description provided by NIOSH]
• Subjects:
  Computers Cumulative Trauma Disorders Epidemiology Musculoskeletal Diseases Musculoskeletal System Occupational Health Risk Assessment Risk Factors Safety Stress, Psychological
• Keywords:
  Computer Equipment Cumulative Trauma Disorders Job Stress Keyboard Operators Musculoskeletal System Disorders NIOSH Grant NIOSH Publication Office Workers Physical Stress Repetitive Work Risk Factors

  More +
• ISSN:
  0271-3586
• Document Type:
  Text
• Funding:
  Grant
• Genre:
  Journal Article
• Place as Subject:
  Georgia ; OSHA Region 4
• CIO:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
• Topic:
  Workplace Safety & Health
• Location:
  North America
• Volume:
  29
• Issue:
  6
• NIOSHTIC Number:
  nn:00231820
• Citation:
  Am J Ind Med 1996 Jun; 29(6):649-656
• Contact Point Address:
  Epidemiology & Biomathematics Emory University 1599 Clifton Road, NE Atlanta, GA 30329
• Federal Fiscal Year:
  1996
• Performing Organization:
  Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia
• Peer Reviewed:
  True
• Start Date:
  19940930
• Source Full Name:
  American Journal of Industrial Medicine
• End Date:
  20000929
• Collection(s):
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:9055b5dddb59fedf397d54ba7150b89a1e617ebfdb028bb96d8c799bbe1e42eb8689e342f9c9ced3d14c2d11426d8f5223dd66f5e8bef4d7527ae51d6ee3a045
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/205102/cdc_205102_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 560.18 KB ]