Gender Differences in the Relationship between Daily Computer Usage and Musculoskeletal Symptoms among Undergraduate Students

Abstract

We conducted a repeated measures pilot field study on 27 undergraduate students (14 males and 13 females) to investigate the relationship between daily computer usage time and musculoskeletal symptoms. For three one-week periods during a single semester, students reported symptoms (outcome) 3-5 times daily while computer usage time (exposure) was objectively measured by a usage monitor software installed onto participants' own computer. Generalized estimating equation (GEE) regression models tested the relationship between outcome and exposure. In males, each additional hour of daily computer usage was associated with an increased odds ratio of reporting symptoms to 1.18 (1.05–1.34). In females, the corresponding increased odd ratio for each additional hour of daily usage was 1.02 (0.96 to 1.08). The results also suggested a potential dose-response relationship between daily computer usage time and musculoskeletal symptoms; however, the significance of relationship was different between genders.