THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN MUSCULOSKELETAL DISORDERS AND COMPUTER-RELATED ERGONOMIC RISKS AMONG PERSONNEL AT A PRIVATE HIGHER EDUCATION INSTITUTION
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Abstract
This cross-sectional study aimed to assess ergonomic risks and determine the relationship between ergonomic risks and musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) among 77 computer-using personnel at a private higher education institution. The results showed that the majority of participants were male (63.63%) and aged between 31-35 years (41.55%) ( = 34.18, S.D. = 6.25). Most participants had a body weight between 61-70 kg (37.66%) (
= 65.12, S.D. = 13.69) and a height of less than 160 cm (41.56%) (
= 164.38, S.D. = 6.50). Regarding Body Mass Index (BMI), 45.45% had a BMI greater than 30 kg/m2 followed by 41.56% in the 18.50-22.90 kg/m2 range (
= 24.03, S.D. = 1.06). Most had 1-2 years of work experience (25.97%) (
= 2.68, S.D. = 1.23) and worked 5 days per week (66.23%). The ergonomic risk assessment using the Rapid Office Strain Assessment (ROSA) indicated that the majority of support staff (62 persons, 80.52%) had scores between 5 and 7, classified as high risk, requiring further workstation analysis for improvement. This was followed by 15 persons (19.48%) with scores between 8 and 10. Regarding MSDs over the past 12 months, the most frequently reported symptoms were in the wrist/hand (80.52%), followed by the neck (77.92%) and lower back (71.42%), respectively. Furthermore, a statistically significant association was found between ergonomic risks and MSDs in the wrist and hand regions (p-value < 0.001). Therefore, urgent workstation analysis and improvements are recommended. The study concludes that personnel are frequently exposed to ergonomic risks, as assessment scores consistently exceeded the low-risk threshold (scores > 4), necessitating ongoing monitoring.
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