A multivariate evaluation of an office ergonomic intervention using longitudinal data

Abstract

The present study used longitudinal data from an alternative keyboard intervention study to test pathways between physical, work organization/psychosocial, stress and musculoskeletal symptom factors postulated by Sauter and Swanson in their ecological model of musculoskeletal disorders in office work. Data on work organization, stress and musculoskeletal symptoms were collected from 189 office workers at baseline and 1 year later. After baseline, an alternative keyboard was provided to half of the participants, while the remaining participants continued using a conventional keyboard. Regression analyses on the Year 1–baseline difference scores revealed significant relationships for keyboard condition and musculoskeletal symptoms, keyboard condition and work organization and work organization and stress. However, the relationships between work organization and musculoskeletal symptoms, keyboard condition and stress and stress and musculoskeletal symptoms were not significant. Thus, the analyses provided partial support for the tested pathways.

Keywords:

• Alternative keyboards
• Psychological variables
• Musculoskeletal symptoms