Awareness of computer workers towards work related upper extremity symptoms

Abstract

Introduction Work Related Upper Extremity (WRUE) symptoms and disorders is one of the most reported complaint within today's working population. According to the Health and Safety Executive (2002) the most affected workers are computer users, as they spend most of their time sitting at a workstation with minimum movement or small repetitive movements (HSE, 2002). Literature review In the United Kingdom 4.7 million working days were lost during 2003 and 2004 as result of WRUE (HSE, 2006) while in Malta in 2010, the Occupational Health and Safety Authority (OHSA) reported that 21% of the respondents who to part in a local research had suffered from Musculoskeletal Disorder (Falzon & Fsadni, 2011). On the other hand, the HSE also reported that yearly complaints on WRUE were reduced by 21% between 2001/2 and 2011/12 due to increase in awareness on WRUE (HSE, 2013). Aims & Objectives This study aimed to examine and evaluate the awareness of WRUE symptoms and disorders among computer workers, and to appraise their awareness related to the main causes which might lead to WRUE with the objective to find out whether the knowledge developed through training is actually being used to reduce WRUE symptoms and disorders. Research Design A self-completion questionnaire was used in this non-experimental, cross sectional study. This questionnaire consisted of 27 closed-ended questions divided into 4 sections; demographic data, personal awareness, ergonomics and training, to derive the objectives and hypothesis that the more knowledgeable computer users are about WRUE Symptoms and Disorders, together with awareness of Office Ergonomics, the less presence or severity of such issues. Results Results show that a substantial number of computer users have experienced symptoms of WRUE at some point in their lives. It was also revealed that awareness on WRUE and ergonomics is substantially low, and training is not readily provided to users. Conclusion This study verified all hypotheses tested and established that a relationship between WRUE symptoms and disorders, and office ergonomics exists and that adequate awareness eventually reduce and prevent WRUE risks.