COs are exposed to levels of biomechanical and psychosocial
stressors that have strong associations with musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs)
in other occupations, possibly contributing to their rapid health
deterioration.
Baseline survey data from a longitudinal study of COs and
manufacturing line workers were used to model musculoskeletal symptom
prevalence and intensity in the upper (UE) and lower (LE) extremity. Outcomes
were regressed on demographics and biomechanical and psychosocial exposures.
COs reported significantly higher prevalence and intensity
of LE symptoms compared to the industrial workers. In regression models, job
tenure was a primary driver of CO musculoskeletal outcomes. In CO models, a
single biomechanical exposure, head and arms in awkward positions, explained
variance in both UE and LE prevalence (β of 0.338 and 0.357, respectively), and
low decision latitude was associated with increased LE prevalence and intensity
(β of 0.229 and 0.233, respectively). Manufacturing models were less
explanatory. Examining demographic associations with exposure intensity, we
found none to be significant in manufacturing, but in CO models, important
psychosocial exposure levels increased with job tenure.
Symptom prevalence and intensity increased more rapidly with
job tenure in corrections, compared to manufacturing, and were related to both
biomechanical and psychosocial exposures. Tenure-related increases in
psychosocial exposure levels may help explain the CO symptom increase.
Although exposure assessment improvements are proposed,
findings suggest focusing on improving the psychosocial work environment to
reduce MSD prevalence and intensity in corrections.
Via: http://ht.ly/S8h74
By: Warren N1, Dussetschleger J2, Punnett L3, Cherniack MG2.
- 1University of Connecticut Health Center, Farmington warren@nso.uchc.edu.
- 2University of Connecticut Health Center, Farmington.
- 3University of Massachusetts, Lowell.
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