Construct validity, internal consistency and test-retest reliability of ergonomic risk assessment for musculoskeletal disorders in office workers (ERAMO)

Abstract

Musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) have a multifactorial etiology, therefore, their assessment should consider all of individual, physical and psychosocial factors. The Ergonomic risk assessment for musculoskeletal disorders in office workers (ERAMO) is a few specific tools available to evaluate the nature and occurrence of MSDs in office workers and the impact of individual and ergonomic aspects of office workers. The purpose of this study was to perform a construct validity (confirmatory factor analysis; CFA) and verify the reliability, internal consistency of the ERAMO in office workers. A sample of 300 workers from two of government enterprise in Bangkok, Thailand participated in this validation and internal consistency analysis. Intraclass correlation coefficient was used for the statistical analysis of test-retest reliability. The calculation of internal consistency, reproducibility provided evidence of reliability and lack of redundancy. The psychometric properties of the ERAMO were assessed using CFA, which revealed 3 models. For 2 models, the comparative fit index (CFI), goodness-of-fit index (GFI), and non-normed fit index (NNFI) each achieved 0.90, the Chi-square and root mean square error of approximation (RMSEA) demonstrated better values. The results provided this ERAMO tool is a choice that can use for ergonomic risk assessment in office workers.

Supplemental data for this article is available online at https://doi.org/10.1080/1463922X.2021.1922780 .

Keywords:

• Ergonomic risk assessment
• musculoskeletal disorders
• office workers
• psychometric properties
• confirmatory factor analysis

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

This study was supported by Graduate School Thesis Grant, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand [Batch no.3/2017].

Notes on contributors

Pimporn Kluay-On

Pimporn Kluay-On is PhD student in physical therapy department from Chulalongkorn University, Master’s degrees from Mahidol University (physical therapy) in 2009 and BS degree in physical therapy from Srinakharinwirot University, Thailand in 2005.

Montakarn Chaikumarn

Montakarn Chaikumarn, Assistant professor from Chulalongkorn University and Corresponding author in this article. She received her PhD in Ergonomics from Luleå University of Technology, Sweden in 2005, Licentiate in Engineering (Industrial Ergonomics) Luleå University of Technology in 2003, Master of Sciences (Ergonomics) Luleå University of Technology in 2001 and BS (Physiotherapy) second class honours Mahidol University, Thailand in 1996.