Abstract
BackgroundMusculoskeletal disorders have a profound impact on individual health, sickness absence and early retirement, particularly in physically demanding occupations. Demographics are changing in the developed countries, towards increasing proportions of senior workers. These senior workers may have particular difficulties coping with physically demanding occupations while maintaining good health.Previous studies investigating the relationship between physical work demands and musculoskeletal disorders are mainly based on self-reported exposures and lack a prospective design. The aim of this paper is to describe the background and methods and discuss challenges for a field study examining physical demands in construction and health care work and their prospective associations with musculoskeletal disorders, work ability and sickness absence.Methods and designThis protocol describes a prospective cohort study on 1200 construction and health care workers. Participants will answer a baseline questionnaire concerning musculoskeletal complaints, general health, psychosocial and organizational factors at work, work demands, work ability and physical activity during leisure. A shorter questionnaire will be answered every 6th months for a total of two years, together with continuous sickness absence monitoring during this period. Analysis will prospectively consider associations between self-reported physical demands and musculoskeletal disorders, work ability and sickness absence. To obtain objective data on physical exposures, technical measurements will be collected from two subgroups of N = 300 (Group A) and N = 160 (Group B) during work and leisure. Both group A and B will be given a physical health examination, be tested for physical capacity and physical activity will be measured for four days. Additionally, muscle activity, ground reaction force, body positions and physical activity will be examined during one workday for Group B. Analysis of associations between objectively measured exposure data and the outcomes described above will be done separately for these subpopulations.DiscussionThe field study will at baseline produce objectively measured data on physical demands in the construction and health care occupations. In combination with clinical measurements and questionnaire data during follow-up, this will provide a solid foundation to prospectively investigate relationships between physical demands at work and development of musculoskeletal disorders, work ability and sickness absence.
Highlights
Musculoskeletal disorders have a profound impact on individual health, sickness absence and early retirement, in physically demanding occupations
The field study will at baseline produce objectively measured data on physical demands in the construction and health care occupations
All subjects will be given written information on the purpose and methods in the study and will need to sign a written consent prior to participation. This longitudinal cohort study will provide both selfreported and objectively measured data on physical exposures and physical activity during work and leisure, analyzed by methods reflecting both average exposure levels and exposure variation. This extensive exposure data will be analyzed for possible associations with Musculoskeletal disorders (MSD), work ability and sickness absence
Summary
Musculoskeletal disorders have a profound impact on individual health, sickness absence and early retirement, in physically demanding occupations. Studies have shown that decreased musculoskeletal function will negatively affect work ability [2,3], and that MSD is one of the major reasons for sickness absence from work [1]. Risk factors for developing MSD are present both during work and leisure Individual factors such as age, genetics, lifestyle, beliefs and general health have shown to be important modifiers of risk [5,6,7,8]. Both physical, social, organizational and psychological factors at work are known to be risk factors for MSD [9]. Physical demands at work are considered a crucial determinant for developing MSD, including frequently stated occupational risk factors such as high muscular loads, working and lifting in stooped, restricted or twisted postures, repetitive movements, and working with elevated arms [5,10,11]
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