TY - JOUR
T1 - The effect of training for a participatory ergonomic intervention on physical exertion and musculoskeletal pain among childcare workers (The toy project) – a wait-list cluster-randomized controlled trial
AU - Rasmussen, Charlotte Diana Nørregaard
AU - Sørensen, Ole Henning
AU - van der Beek, Allard J.
AU - Holtermann, Andreas
N1 - Funding Information: We would like to acknowledge consultants Vibeke Andersen and Cornelia Str?h from the Work Environment Consultancy of Copenhagen for their valuable help in the development and planning of the study. In addition, we would like to thank the team involved in the TOY project at the National Research Centre for The Working Environment for their valuable contributions in planning of the study and collecting of data and providing feedback in discussions of the study. Funding The study was externally funded by the Danish Work ing Environment Research Fund (grant no. 2-2016-03 20165101186). Funding Information: The study was externally funded by the Danish Work- Publisher Copyright: © 2020, Nordic Association of Occupational Safety and Health. All rights reserved. Copyright: Copyright 2020 Elsevier B.V., All rights reserved.
PY - 2020
Y1 - 2020
N2 - Objective Many employees have high physical exertion at work and suffer from musculoskeletal pain (MSP) leading to sickness absence with large costs. Participatory ergonomics is a potentially effective intervention for reducing physical exertion, MSP and sickness absence. The main aim of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of a 20-week workplace participatory ergonomic intervention among childcare workers on physical exertion and MSP. Methods In a two-arm cluster-randomized trial, 190 workers were recruited from 16 childcare institutions and randomly assigned to either a 20-week participatory ergonomics intervention consisting of three training workshops or a control group receiving usual care. Primary outcomes were physical exertion during work, maximal pain intensity, number of pain regions, and pain-related work interference. Secondary outcomes were MSPrelated sickness absence, need for recovery (NFR), employee involvement, and self-efficacy. We followed the intention-to-treat principle and adhered to the registered study protocol (ISRCTN10928313). Results After 20 weeks, half the workers noticed some positive changes in their work. However, there were no statistically discernible effects in physical exertion, maximum pain intensity, pain-related work interference, or number of pain regions. We found a significant reduction of MSP-related sickness absence in the intervention compared to the control group [-0.48 days per month (95% confidence interval (CI),-0.8–-0.1]. We found no significant effects in NRF or involvement of employees, but self-efficacy was reduced in the intervention compared to the control group [-0.2 (95% CI,-0.3–-0.0)]. Conclusion This 20-week training for a participatory ergonomic intervention in childcare workers did not show effects on physical exertion and MSP, but was both feasible and effective in reducing MSP-related sickness absence.
AB - Objective Many employees have high physical exertion at work and suffer from musculoskeletal pain (MSP) leading to sickness absence with large costs. Participatory ergonomics is a potentially effective intervention for reducing physical exertion, MSP and sickness absence. The main aim of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of a 20-week workplace participatory ergonomic intervention among childcare workers on physical exertion and MSP. Methods In a two-arm cluster-randomized trial, 190 workers were recruited from 16 childcare institutions and randomly assigned to either a 20-week participatory ergonomics intervention consisting of three training workshops or a control group receiving usual care. Primary outcomes were physical exertion during work, maximal pain intensity, number of pain regions, and pain-related work interference. Secondary outcomes were MSPrelated sickness absence, need for recovery (NFR), employee involvement, and self-efficacy. We followed the intention-to-treat principle and adhered to the registered study protocol (ISRCTN10928313). Results After 20 weeks, half the workers noticed some positive changes in their work. However, there were no statistically discernible effects in physical exertion, maximum pain intensity, pain-related work interference, or number of pain regions. We found a significant reduction of MSP-related sickness absence in the intervention compared to the control group [-0.48 days per month (95% confidence interval (CI),-0.8–-0.1]. We found no significant effects in NRF or involvement of employees, but self-efficacy was reduced in the intervention compared to the control group [-0.2 (95% CI,-0.3–-0.0)]. Conclusion This 20-week training for a participatory ergonomic intervention in childcare workers did not show effects on physical exertion and MSP, but was both feasible and effective in reducing MSP-related sickness absence.
KW - Key terms MSD
KW - Musculoskeletal disease
KW - Musculoskeletal disorder
KW - RCT
KW - Sickness absence
KW - Workplace intervention
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85087400427&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - https://doi.org/10.5271/sjweh.3884
DO - https://doi.org/10.5271/sjweh.3884
M3 - Article
C2 - 31945165
SN - 0355-3140
VL - 46
SP - 429
EP - 436
JO - Scandinavian Journal of Work, Environment and Health
JF - Scandinavian Journal of Work, Environment and Health
IS - 4
ER -