| 1. |
- Gustafsson, Ewa, 1955, et al.
(författare)
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Technique, muscle activity and kinematic differences in young adults texting on mobile phones
- 2011
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Ingår i: Ergonomics. - : Informa UK Limited. - 1366-5847 .- 0014-0139. ; 54:5, s. 477-87
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The aim of this study was to investigate whether there are differences in technique between young adults with and without musculoskeletal symptoms when using a mobile phone for texting and whether there are differences in muscle activity and kinematics between different texting techniques. A total of 56 young adults performed a standardised texting task on a mobile phone. Their texting techniques were registered using an observation protocol. The muscular activity in six muscles in the right forearm/hand and both shoulders were registered by surface electromyography and the thumb abduction/adduction and flexion/extension were registered using a biaxial electrogoniometer. Differences in texting techniques were found between the symptomatic and the asymptomatic group, with a higher proportion of sitting with back support and forearm support and with a neutral head position in the asymptomatic group. Differences in muscle activity and kinematics were also found between different texting techniques. The differences in texting technique between symptomatic and asymptomatic subjects cannot be explained by them having symptoms but may be a possible contribution to their symptoms. Statement of Relevance: There has been a dramatically increased use of mobile phones for texting especially among young people during the last years. A better understanding of the physical exposure associated with the intensive use is important in order to prevent the development of musculoskeletal disorders and decreased work ability related to this use.
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| 2. |
- Beno, Anja, et al.
(författare)
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Self-reported changes in work situation – a cross-sectional study of patients 7 years after treatment for stress-related exhaustion
- 2021
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Ingår i: BMC Public Health. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1471-2458. ; 21:1
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background: Exhaustion disorder (ED) is a common cause of sick leave in Sweden, and patients often have long-lasting symptoms and reduced work capacity. The aim of this study was to explore whether patients with ED had made any changes in their work situation from the period of treatment and up to 7 years later. Methods: In this cross-sectional study, patients diagnosed with ED at a specialist outpatient clinic were followed up after 7 years (n = 217). They received questionnaires at baseline covering sex, age, marital status, level of education, and symptoms of burnout, depression, and anxiety measured with the Shirom-Melamed Burnout Questionnaire and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale. After 7 years, they were sent a follow-up questionnaire asking about their work situation and work-related stressors both before they fell sick and at the 7-year follow-up. There were three questions on work situation (change of workplace, change of work tasks, and change of working hours), and 155 patients responded to all three. Results: After 7 years, the majority of the patients (63%; n = 98/155) reported that they had made some kind of change at work. Women were more likely than men to report decreased working hours (p = 0.001), and work-related stressors such as conflicts at work, reorganization, deficient leadership, and general discontent with the work situation were significantly more common at baseline in the group who had made changes at work. Patients who made no changes at work experienced more work-related stress due to quantitative demands in the 7-year follow-up. Conclusion: The majority of the patients with ED made some kind of change in their work situation, and gender differences were found for changes of work tasks and working hours. Work-related stressors might be decisive for making changes at work. © 2021, The Author(s).
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| 3. |
- Dellve, Lotta, 1965, et al.
(författare)
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Myofeedback training and intensive muscular strength training to decrease pain and improve work ability among female workers on long-term sick leave with neck pain: a randomized controlled trial
- 2011
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Ingår i: International archives of occupational and environmental health. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1432-1246 .- 0340-0131. ; 84:3, s. 335-46
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Abstract The theoretical framework is that muscle tension in the neck is related to insufficient muscular rest and is a risk factor for chronic pain and reduced work ability. Promoting muscle strength and muscle rest may increase work ability and reduce neck pain. Objectives To test whether myofeedback training or intensive strength training leads to decreased pain and increased work ability in women on long-term sick leave. Methods This is a randomized controlled trial of two 1-month interventions with myofeedback or muscular strength training in the home environment. Female human service organization workers (n = 60) on long-term (>60 days) sick leave and with chronic neck pain were followed with self-reported and laboratory-observed data of health, pain, muscular activation, and work ability, at baseline, immediately after the intervention and 3 months after baseline. Results For both intervention groups, pain was lowered over time compared with the control group. Decreased pain and muscular activity was associated with increased self-rated work ability and with laboratory-observed work ability at 3-month follow-up. Decreased pain was also associated with increased self-rated work ability at 1-month follow-up. Muscular strength training was associated with increased self-rated work ability and mental health. Myofeedback was associated with increased observed work ability and self- rated vitality. Conclusions The two interventions showed positive results, suggesting that they could be developed for use in health care practice to address pain and work ability. The intensive muscular strength training program, which is both easy to conduct at home and easy to coach, was associated with increased work ability.
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| 4. |
- Gerber, Markus, et al.
(författare)
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Promoting Graded Exercise as a Part of Multimodal Treatment in Patients Diagnosed with Stress-Related Exhaustion
- 2015
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Ingår i: Journal of Clinical Nursing. - : Wiley. - 0962-1067 .- 1365-2702. ; 24:13-14, s. 1904-1915
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Aims and objectives The purpose of this study was to examine, by using patient cohort data, the changes in exercise habits during a 12-month multimodal treatment period, in patients seeking specialist care for stress-related exhaustion. Background Randomised controlled trials have greatly contributed to the fact that both physicians and patients regard regular exercise participation as a highly valuable and effective treatment for mental health disorders. Nevertheless, little is known about the adherence to physical activity recommendations for patients with stress-related mental problems in a clinical setting. Knowledge about what can be achieved within the clinical context, and how current treatments can be improved, is crucial for clinicians, researchers, educators, managers and policy makers involved in nursing practice. Design Longitudinal analysis of patient cohort data. Methods The sample consisted of 169 patients (79% women; mean age = 42·7 years) who were referred to a stress clinic due to stress-related exhaustion. All patients received multimodal treatment with similar components. Two different approaches to promote exercise were used in the clinical work (general comprehensive instruction either with or without an 18-week coached exercise programme). The self-reported overall exercise level was assessed at baseline and at three, six and 12 months after the first visit. Group by time effects were examined with repeated measures analyses of variance. Results The frequency, duration and intensity of exercise increased substantially during the first three months of multimodal treatment. Although exercise levels tended to decrease thereafter, there was still a significant time effect at the 12-month follow-up showing that follow-up exercise levels were higher than at baseline. Conclusion Both general exercise instructions and coached exercise were effective in promoting exercise involvement. Relevance to clinical practice Exercise can be successfully promoted as a part of multimodal treatment in patients with stress-related exhaustion.
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| 5. |
- Jonsson, Robin, 1986, et al.
(författare)
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Organizational Hindrances to the Retention of Older Healthcare Workers.
- 2020
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Ingår i: Nordic Journal of Working Life Studies. - : Det Kgl. Bibliotek/Royal Danish Library. - 2245-0157. ; 10:1, s. 41-58
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The Swedish healthcare sector is currently experiencing recruitment difficulties combined with increasing demand for healthcare services. This study accordingly seeks knowledge of the obstacles to and opportunities for retaining older employees in the Swedish healthcare sector. Results of interviews with line managers and human resource (HR) partners indicate that the informants have positive attitudes toward older healthcare workers in general, particularly acknowledging their contributions based on long experience and skill. However, line managers’ high workload, the absence of age-management strategies, and universal HR policies not conducive to older workers’ individual needs are considered obstacles to retention on an organizational level. To retain older healthcare workers and maintain their ability and motivation, the healthcare sector and especially HR strategies need to be more proactive in addressing these issues, and formalized policies are required in order to benefit from the potential labor reserve that older employees constitute.
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| 6. |
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| 7. |
- Larsman, Pernilla, 1976, et al.
(författare)
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Longitudinal relations between psychosocial work environment, stress and the development of musculoskeletal pain
- 2011
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Ingår i: Stress and Health. - : Wiley. - 1532-3005. ; 27:3
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Exposure to psychosocial stressors at work is hypothesized to be related to the development of musculoskeletal pain through the mechanism of work-related stress. This hypothesis has received support in cross-sectional studies. Few longitudinal studies that specifi cally address this hypothesized mediating mechanism are however reported in the literature. The aim of the present study was to test this hypothesis in a longitudinal process model. A 3-wave mixed occupations cohort-study was performed with a baseline questionnaire survey in 2004; and with 2-year follow-ups in 2006 and 2008. A latent variable process model was tested using structural equation modeling. Since focus of the study was on the process of pain development, only those participants considered pain free at baseline were included (n = 1 133). The results indicate that exposure to high work demands may cause long-term work-related stress. The hypotheses that work demands and control influence the development of pain, and that this relation is mediated by work-related stress were not supported. No indications of reversed causality were found. In order to further elucidate the hypothesized stress mechanism, future research needs to focus on the development of site-specific musculoskeletal pain in longitudinal studies including repeated measures with shorter lags between measurement waves.
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| 8. |
- Lindegård Andersson, Agneta, 1955, et al.
(författare)
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Concordance between VDU-users' ratings of comfort and perceived exertion with experts' observations of workplace layout and working postures.
- 2005
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Ingår i: Applied ergonomics. - : Elsevier BV. - 0003-6870 .- 1872-9126. ; 36:3, s. 319-25
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The aim of the present study was to evaluate the concordance (agreement) between VDU-users' ratings of comfort and ergonomists' observations of workplace layout, and the concordance between VDU-users' ratings of perceived exertion and ergonomists' observations of working postures during VDU-work. The study population consisted of 853 symptom free subjects. Data on perceived comfort in different dimensions and data regarding perceived exertion in different body locations were collected by means of a questionnaire. Data concerning workplace layout and working postures were collected with an observation protocol, by an ergonomist. Concordance between ratings of comfort and observations of workplace layout was reasonably good for the chair and the keyboard (0.60, 0.58) and good regarding the screen and the input device (0.72, 0.61). Concordance between ratings of perceived exertion and observations of working postures indicated good agreement (0.63-0.77) for all measured body locations (neck, shoulder, wrist and trunk). In conclusion ratings of comfort and perceived exertion could be used as cost-efficient and user-friendly methods for practitioners to identify high exposure to poor workplace layout and poor working postures.
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| 9. |
- Lindegård Andersson, Agneta, 1955, et al.
(författare)
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Longitudinal associations between cardiorespiratory fitness and stress-related exhaustion, depression, anxiety and sleep disturbances.
- 2019
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Ingår i: BMC public health. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1471-2458. ; 19:1
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- In the last few years, so-called "common mental disorders", including adjustment disorder and stress-related exhaustion, have outrivalled musculoskeletal disorders as being the leading cause of long-term sick leave in Sweden. Cardiorespiratory fitness level defined as "the maximal amount of physiological work that an individual can do as measured by oxygen consumption" has in many studies shown to reduce the risk of several life-style related diseases and moreover to improve mood, well-being and physical performance. The aim of the present study was to investigate, longitudinal associations between cardiorespiratory fitness and self-reported physical activity levels and the severity of symptoms connected to stress-related exhaustion, depression, anxiety, and sleep disturbances among women clinically diagnosed with stress-related exhaustion disorder (ED).The study was that of a longitudinal cohort study consisting of women (n=88) diagnosed with stress-related ED in a specialist clinic in Gothenburg, Sweden. Cardiorespiratory fitness was measured with the Åstrand indirect test of maximal oxygen uptake (VO2max) and subjective measures of physical activity levels were rated on 4-graded physical activity scale. To measure and follow symptoms of ED over time the SMBQ-questionnaire (Shirom Melamed Burnout Questionnaire) was used. The Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) was used to measure depression and anxiety. A proxy variable for capturing overall disturbed sleep used to measure sleep. Longitudinal associations for continuous outcome variables and the dichotomous variable sleep were analysed using mixed- effects regression models with random intercepts. Regression coefficients along with the 95% confidence interval (CI) are presented as measures of association. Both exposures and the outcome were measured simultaneously over six waves (T1-T6).The results showed statistically significant associations between level of fitness and reduced symptoms of stress-related exhaustion over time. Best improvements over time were seen in patients having a medium cardiorespiratory fitness level. No associations could be found between cardiorespiratory fitness level over time and anxiety, depression or sleep disturbances.Having medium cardiorespiratory fitness was positivity associated with a more sustained reduction in symptoms of ED overtime compared to those having low or high cardiorespiratory fitness levels. The clinical implication following this result is that an individual recommendation based on a medium level of physical activity in line with the recommendations from ACSM (American College of Sports Medicine) is preferable compared to recommendations including more vigorous physical activity in order to restore and sustainably reduce symptoms of exhaustion disorder over time.
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| 10. |
- Lindegård Andersson, Agneta, 1955, et al.
(författare)
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The impact of working technique on physical loads - an exposure profile among newspaper editors.
- 2003
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Ingår i: Ergonomics. - : Informa UK Limited. - 0014-0139 .- 1366-5847. ; 46:6, s. 598-615
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The aim of this study was to investigate the possible associations between working technique, sex, symptoms and level of physical load in VDU-work. A study group of 32 employees in the editing department of a daily newspaper answered a questionnaire, about physical working conditions and symptoms from the neck and the upper extremities. Muscular load, wrist positions and computer mouse forces were measured. Working technique was assessed from an observation protocol for computer work. In addition ratings of perceived exertion and overall comfort were collected. The results showed that subjects classified as having a good working technique worked with less muscular load in the forearm (extensor carpi ulnaris p=0.03) and in the trapezius muscle on the mouse operating side (p=0.02) compared to subjects classified as having a poor working technique. Moreover there were no differences in gap frequency (number of episodes when muscle activity is below 2.5% of a reference contraction) or muscular rest (total duration of gaps) between the two working technique groups. Women in this study used more force (mean force p=0.006, peak force p=0.02) expressed as % MVC than the men when operating the computer mouse. No major differences were shown in muscular load, wrist postures, perceived exertion or perceived comfort between men and women or between cases and symptom free subjects. In conclusion a good working technique was associated with reduced muscular load in the forearm muscles and in the trapezius muscle on the mouse operating side. Moreover women used more force (mean force and peak force) than men when operating the click button (left button) of the computer mouse.
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| 11. |
- Lindegård Andersson, Agneta, 1955
(författare)
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Working technique during computer work Associations with biomechanical and psychological strain, neck and upper extremity musculoskeletal symptoms
- 2007
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Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- About 35 % of the working population in Sweden report that computer use accounts for 50% or more of their total working hours. Among this population approximately 40% of the women and 25% of the men experienced symptoms in the neck and/or upper extremities at least once a week during the preceding 3 month. The overall aim of the studies underlying this thesis was to explore possible associations between working technique and perceived exertion, comfort, biomechanical and psychosocial strain as well as neck and upper extremity symptoms among computer users. Specific research questions addressed were a) Whether working technique was associated with muscle activity, wrist positions and forces applied to the computer mouse, respectively? b) Whether working technique was associated with psychological demands, emotional stress and perceived muscle tension, respectively? c) Whether there were associations between self-rated perceived comfort and observations of workplace layout and between self-rated perceived exertion and working postures. d) Whether working technique perceived exertion and comfort was associated with neck and upper extremity symptoms. The results showed that subjects classified as having a good working technique worked with less muscular load in the forearm (p=0.03) and in the trapezius muscle on the mouse operating side (p=0.02) compared to subjects classified as having a poor working technique. Subjects who reported high psychological demands and perceived muscular tension, respectively, used poorer working technique than subjects who did not perceive this conditions (demands, p=0.03, muscular tension, p=0.02). Moreover, the concordance between ratings of comfort and observations of workplace layout was reasonably good concerning the working chair and the keyboard and good regarding the computer screen and the input device. The concordance between ratings of perceived exertion and observations of working postures indicated good agreement for all measured body locations. This applies to the group that rated poor comfort and high exertion. Regarding the group that rated good comfort and low exertion ratings must be supplemented with observations. Furthermore, the results revealed that high perceived exertion and low comfort were related to an increased incidence of neck, and upper extremity symptoms, while poor working technique was not associated with such a risk. It is concluded that working technique is associated with both biomechanical and psychological strain while no associations could be seen between working technique and the incidence of neck and upper extremity symptoms. Furthermore, high perceived exertion and low comfort are associated with a higher incidence of neck and upper extremity symptoms.
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| 12. |
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| 13. |
- Wahlström, Jens, 1972, et al.
(författare)
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Perceived muscular tension, emotional stress, psychological demands and physical load during VDU work.
- 2003
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Ingår i: International archives of occupational and environmental health. - 0340-0131. ; 76:8, s. 584-90
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- OBJECTIVES. The aim of this study was to investigate whether perceived muscular tension, psychological demands and emotional stress were associated with physical load or working technique during visual display unit (VDU) work. METHODS. Subjects (28 women and 29 men) from two different organisations volunteered to participate in the study. The study design was cross-sectional, and the data were assessed when the subjects performed their usual work tasks at their usual work place. Multivariate linear and logistic regression models were used to investigate possible associations. The different outcome variables were: median muscle activity and muscular rest in the trapezius muscle bilaterally, wrist movements and working technique. The different explanatory variables were: perceived muscular tension (binary), emotional stress (binary), psychological demands (binary), organisation (binary) and gender (binary). Age (continuous) and present musculoskeletal pain (binary) were also controlled for in the multivariate models. Electromyography (EMG) and electrogoniometers were used to assess the physical load, and the data collection time was 15 min. An ergonomic checklist was used to assess working technique, i.e. work with lifted shoulders. RESULTS. Subjects who perceived muscular tension at least a few times per week the month before the measurements were made worked with higher muscle activity [expressed as per cent of a reference voluntary electrical activity (% RVE)] in the trapezius muscle bilaterally (5% RVE, P=0.05). High emotional stress during the measurement was associated with higher muscle activity in the trapezius muscle on the side not operating the computer mouse (8% RVE, P=0.006). Subjects who reported high levels of emotional stress worked more often with lifted shoulders (odds ratio 6.0, 95% CI 1.2-28.9). However, when present musculoskeletal pain was included in the multivariate model the odds ratio for high emotional stress decreased to 4.5 (95% CI 0.9-23.2). CONCLUSIONS. Perceived muscular tension and emotional stress were associated with physical load, in terms of muscle activity in the trapezius muscles, during VDU work in ordinary occupational settings.
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