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Relations between work and upper extremity musculoskeletal problems (UEMSP) and the moderating role of psychosocial work factors on the relation between computer work and UEMSP

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Abstract

Purpose

Computer work has been identified as a risk factor for upper extremity musculoskeletal problems (UEMSP). But few studies have investigated how psychosocial and organizational work factors affect this relation. Nor have gender differences in the relation between UEMSP and these work factors  been studied. We sought to estimate: (1) the association between UEMSP and a range of physical, psychosocial and organizational work exposures, including the duration of computer work, and (2) the moderating effect of psychosocial work exposures on the relation between computer work and UEMSP.

Methods

Using 2007–2008 Québec survey data on 2478 workers, we carried out gender-stratified multivariable logistic regression modeling and two-way interaction analyses.

Results

In both genders, odds of UEMSP were higher with exposure to high physical work demands and emotionally demanding work. Additionally among women, UEMSP were associated with duration of occupational computer exposure, sexual harassment, tense situations when dealing with clients, high quantitative demands and lack of prospects for promotion, and among men, with low coworker support, episodes of unemployment, low job security and contradictory work demands. Among women, the effect of computer work on UEMSP was considerably increased in the presence of emotionally demanding work, and may also be moderated by low recognition at work, contradictory work demands, and low supervisor support.

Conclusions

These results suggest that the relations between UEMSP and computer work are moderated by psychosocial work exposures and that the relations between working conditions and UEMSP are somewhat different for each gender, highlighting the complexity of these relations and the importance of considering gender.

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Acknowledgements

This study is part of a series conducted by the Scientific Group on Work-related Musculoskeletal Disorders of the Quebec Institute of Public Health. We thank members of the Scientific Group for insightful discussions and input throughout various stages of this work.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Scientific Group on Work-related Musculoskeletal Disorders, Institut national de santé publique du Québec, 190 Crémazie E, Montreal, QC, H2P 1E2, Canada

    Nektaria Nicolakakis, Susan R. Stock & Karen Messing

  2. Department of Social and Preventive Medicine, University of Montreal School of Public Health, Montreal, QC, Canada

    Nektaria Nicolakakis & Susan R. Stock

  3. University of Montreal Hospital Research Centre (CRCHUM), Montreal, QC, Canada

    Nektaria Nicolakakis & Susan R. Stock

  4. Department of Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Occupational Health, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada

    Susan R. Stock & Michal Abrahamowicz

  5. Department of Psychology, Concordia University, Montreal, QC, Canada

    Rex Kline

  6. Interdisciplinary Research Centre on Well-Being, Health, Society and Environment (CINBIOSE), University of Quebec in Montreal (UQAM), Montreal, QC, Canada

    Karen Messing

Authors
  1. Nektaria Nicolakakis
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  2. Susan R. Stock
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  3. Michal Abrahamowicz
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  4. Rex Kline
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  5. Karen Messing
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Susan R. Stock.

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Conflict of interest

None of the authors have any competing interests to disclose.

Funding

This study was funded by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (Grant #245412) at the University of Montreal Hospital Research Centre and through a postdoctoral fellowship from the Institut de recherche Robert-Sauvé en santé et en sécurité du travail (the Québec Occupational Health and Safety Research Institute) for N Nicolakakis. The funding sources did not influence any aspect of this study, including its design, analysis, the interpretation of findings or conclusions.

Ethical approval

The Research Ethics Committee of the University of Montreal Hospital Centre approved this study (Project registration no. 11.145, Approved September 15, 2011).

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Nicolakakis, N., Stock, S.R., Abrahamowicz, M. et al. Relations between work and upper extremity musculoskeletal problems (UEMSP) and the moderating role of psychosocial work factors on the relation between computer work and UEMSP. Int Arch Occup Environ Health 90, 751–764 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00420-017-1236-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00420-017-1236-9

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