Pages: 82-89

Abstract

Background and Purpose: Musculoskeletal disorders are one of the most common occupational diseases in computer users which leads to increased employee absenteeism and reduced productivity in work environments. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of musculoskeletal disorders associated with work and its risk factors in administrative staff of Mashhad University of Medical Sciences. Method: This descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted on 138 administrative staff of Faculty of Nursing and Health of Mashhad University of Medical Sciences. A Nordic questionnaire was used to assess the prevalence of musculoskeletal disorders among administrative staff and the Rapid Office Strain Assessment (ROSA) method to assess the status of work postures. SPSS VER-16 software was used to analyze the data. Findings: The total number of participants was 138 in both colleges, of which 45 were male (32.6%) and 93 women (67.4%). The prevalence of musculoskeletal disorders in administrative staff over the past 12 months showed that the most common disorders were upper limbs (76.9%), lower back (72.2%), knees (70.0%) and wrists (65.3%), respectively. Posture assessment using ROSA method indicated that 7 (5.3%) in the low risk area (score less than 3), 119 (90.2%) in the warning zone (3-5 points) and 6 (4.5 %) in the area where the ergonomic intervention is needed (score above 5). There was no significant relation between the risk of musculoskeletal disorders with a Work Experience and BMI but was associated with age (p = 0.01), so that the score for subjects under the age of 30 was higher. The incidence of disorders in women was higher than that of men. Conclusion: The results show a high prevalence of musculoskeletal complaints especially in upper limbs in computer users. Considering the effect of these disorders on reducing organizational productivity, applying ergonomic principles in the workplace and conducting training courses is effective in reducing the level of risk and disruption of musculoskeletal disorders.