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- Norman, Kerstin, 1959-
(författare)
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Call centre work : characteristics, physical, and psychosocial exposure, and health related outcomes
- 2005
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Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Call centres (CCs) are one of the most rapidly growing forms of workplaces in Sweden. The overall aim of this thesis was to describe work characteristics, physical and psychosocial exposures, and health related outcomes, for CC operators in selected CC in Sweden. The purpose was also to study the test-retest reliability and internal consistency of questions, and the inter-rater reliability of observations and measurements in studies of CCs.This thesis is based on two projects, where study I was a cohort study and studies II-V were a cross-sectional survey. Fifty-seven CC operators were compared with a reference group of 1459 professional computer users from other occupations, study I, and 1183 operators (848 women and 335 men) (response rate 77%) from 28 CCs were studied in studies II-V . Questionnaires covering organisation and work characteristics, physical and psychosocial exposures, individual characteristics and symptoms during the previous month was used, studies I-V. Structured observations in accordance with an ergonomic checklist were used to assess workstation design during the subject’s ordinary work, study I and II.Operators at external CCs spent longer time on customer calls and had less varied tasks. Additional remuneration, call logging and monitoring was more common at external CCs.There were deficiencies in workspace, keyboard- and input device placement. External CCs showed somewhat more problems in the work environment compared with the internal CCs. The CC group spent longer continuous time in front of the computer than other professional computer users.Emotional and cognitive demands and time pressure were reported considered high. Emotional demands and limited decision latitude were dominating features in CC work.A higher proportion of the CC group reported musculoskeletal symptoms compared to other professional computer users. Three out of four operators reported symptoms in the Neck/shoulder or Arm/hand region, with no major differences between internal and external CCs. Comfort of the work environment showed the strongest association with symptoms in the Neck/shoulder or Arm/hand, in both types of CCs. Other exposures associated with symptoms in the Neck/shoulder or Arm/hand in either type of CC were: low complexity of work, long total time of customer calls per day, continuous computer work without a break, high psychological demands, low decision latitude, lack of social support from colleagues and lack of support from a supervisor. The thesis confirms previously suggested associations between unfavourable work characteristics and management, as well as poor physical and psychosocial environment, and musculoskeletal symptoms in computer-interactive tasks. Among operators at internal CCs, symptoms were particularly related to the nature of calls during work, whereas at external CCs critical exposures were the time spent seated with continuous computer work.About half of the questions were classified as having fair to good or higher testretest reliability and can be recommended in further analyses. Other questions should be used with care. A majority of the variables on the ergonomic checklist are classified as having fair to good or higher inter-rater reliability.
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- Norman, Kerstin, et al.
(författare)
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Musculoskeletal symptoms in relation to work exposures at call centre companies in Sweden
- 2008
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Ingår i: Work. - 1051-9815 .- 1875-9270. ; 30:2, s. 201-214
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Objectives: Call centres (CCs) are one of the most rapidly growing types of workplaces in Sweden. The purpose of the study was to assess associations between exposures at CC work and symptoms in the Neck/shoulders and Arm/hand. Comparisons were made between internal and external CCs. An internal CC is a department or separate unit within a larger company with another main core business, while an external CC is a free-standing company. Methods: A cross-sectional study of a selected sample of CCs was conducted. A questionnaire, covering characteristics of work and management, physical and psychosocial exposures and symptoms during the last month, was answered by 1183 operators from 28 CCs. Results: Three out of four operators reported pain or aches in one or more of the requested body regions, with no major difference between internal and external CC operators. Comfort of the work environment, showed the strongest association with symptoms in the Neck/shoulder and Arm/hand, in both types of CCs. Other exposures associated with symptoms in the Neck/shoulder or Arm/hand in either type of CC were: low complexity of work, long total time of customer calls per day, continuous computer work without a break, high psychological demands, low decision latitude, lack of social support from colleagues and supervisor. Conclusions: The study is unique in that there are no previous studies focusing on a large variety of exposures specific to CC work, based on a large number of workers from different types of CCs. The study confirms previously suggested associations between unfavourable work characteristics and management, a poor physical and psychosocial environment, and musculoskeletal symptoms in computer-telephone interactive tasks. The nature of calls during work were related to symptoms of persons working in internal CCs, whereas the time spent seated and continuous computer work were related to symptoms of those in external CCs.
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- Norman, Kerstin, et al.
(författare)
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Reliability of a questionnaire and an ergonomic checklist for assessing working conditions and health at call centres
- 2006
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Ingår i: International Journal of Occupational Safety and Ergonomics. - : Informa UK Limited. - 1080-3548 .- 2376-9130. ; 12:1, s. 53-68
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background. The purpose was to study the test-retest reliability and internal consistency of questions in a questionnaire concerning working conditions and health and the inter-rater reliability of observations and measurements according to an ergonomic checklist.Method. Fifty-seven operators participated in a retest questionnaire and 58 operators participated in an inter-observer test.Results. The questions had fair to good or higher reliability in 142 of the total of 312. Twenty-seven of the total of 44 variables in the ergonomic checklist were classified as having fair to good or higher reliability.Conclusions. About half of the questions had fair to good or higher reliability and can be recommended for further analyses. The majority of variables in the ergonomic checklist were classified as having fair to good or higher reliability. Low reliability does not necessarily indicate that the reliability of the test, per se, is low but may signify that the conditions measured vary over time or that the answers are aggregated in one part of the scale.
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- Norman, Kerstin, et al.
(författare)
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Working conditions in a selected sample of call centre companies in Sweden
- 2008
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Ingår i: International Journal of Occupational Safety and Ergonomics. - : Informa UK Limited. - 1080-3548 .- 2376-9130. ; 14:2, s. 177-194
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background. Call centres (CCs) are among the most rapidly growing forms of workplaces in Sweden. The purpose of the study was to describe and compare working conditions between operators at internal and external CC companies and work tasks of different complexity. Method. A questionnaire was answered by 1183 operators, 848 women and 335 men, from 28 different CCs. The questionnaire covered background factors, employment, working hours and remuneration, call logging and monitoring, duties, computer work and workplace design during the previous month. Results. Operators at external companies and operators with low-complexity work tasks were younger, more often employed by the hour and worked on a varying roster. They spent longer time on customer calls and had less varied tasks. Additional remuneration, call logging and monitoring were more common at external companies and among operators with low-complexity work tasks. Conclusion. The working conditions varied between internal and external CCs. There was also a variation in working conditions between work tasks of different complexity. There were aspects of supervision style and organization of work at CCs, especially at external ones and those with low-complexity tasks that could introduce stress and lack of well being among the staff.
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- Wiklund, Ingela, et al.
(författare)
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Epidural analgesia : Breast-feeding success and related factors
- 2009
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Ingår i: Midwifery. - : Elsevier BV. - 0266-6138 .- 1532-3099. ; 25:2, s. e31-e38
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Objective: to compare the early breast-feeding behaviours of full-term newborns whose mothers had received epidural analgesia (EDA) during an uncomplicated labour, with a group of newborns whose mothers had not received EDA. Design and setting: a retrospective comparative study design was used and the study was carried out in a labour ward in Stockholm, Sweden between January 2000 and April 2000. The ward has about 5500 deliveries per year. Participants: all maternity records of women who had received EDA during labour (n=585) were included in the study. For each EDA record, a control record was selected, matched for parity, age and gestational age at birth. Women with emergency caesarean section, vacuum extraction/forceps, twin pregnancy, breech presentation or an intra-uterine death, as well as neonates with an Apgar score <7 at 5 mins were excluded. After exclusion, the study population consisted of 351 healthy women and babies in each group. Method: logistic regression was performed. The dependent variables: (1) initiation of breast feeding after birth; (2) artificial milk given during hospital stay; and (3) breast feeding at discharge were studied in response to: (a) parity; (b) gestational age at birth; (c) length of first and second stage of labour; (d) administration of oxytocin; (e) administration of EDA; and (f) neonatal weight, as independent variables. Findings: significantly fewer babies of mothers with EDA during labour suckled the breast within the first 4 hours of life [odds ratio (OR) 3.79]. These babies were also more often given artificial milk during their hospital stay (OR 2.19) and fewer were fully breast fed at discharge (OR 1.79). Delayed initiation of breast feeding was also associated with a prolonged first (OR 2.81) and second stage (OR 2.49) and with the administration of oxytocin (OR 3.28). Fewer newborns of multiparae received artificial milk during their hospital stay (OR 0.58). It was also, but to a lesser extent, associated with oxytocin administration (OR 2.15). Full breast feeding at discharge was also positively associated with multiparity (OR 0.44) and birth weight between 3 and 4 kg (OR 0.42). Key conclusions: the study shows that EDA is associated with impaired spontaneous breast feeding including breast feeding at discharge from the hospital. Further studies are needed on the effects of EDA on short- and long-term breast-feeding outcomes. © 2007 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
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