Managing risk of musculoskeletal symptoms within changing office environment: A study of behavioural and psychophysiological risk factors for musculoskeletal symptoms in sample of Australian public sector employees

摘要

Public sector employees from 5 Australian government departments were invited to complete an on-line survey if they worked with a computer for 15 or more hours per week. The survey was distributed by the Community and Public Sector Union to their members working in the departments selected. It was a composite of 3 questionnaires: the ASSET. that measured organizational stressors, the Nordic Musculoskeletal Questionnaire that measured the reported prevalence of upper body musculoskeletal symptoms and 20 additional questions developed to measure individual work behaviours and responses to work demands and psychosocial stressors. Logistic regression was used to identify significant behavioural, psychophysiological and psychological response predictors for the 12 month prevalence of musculoskeletal symptoms. Psychophysiological and psychological responses to work demands including the self-reported tendency to “tense neck and shoulders when busy” or “mentally exhausted after work” were found to be stronger predictors of musculoskeletal symptoms than failure to implement generally recommended work behaviours, such as adjustment of workstation and chair or taking regular work breaks.