Naslov
Work from home and musculoskeletal pain in telecommunications workers during COVID-19 pandemic: a pilot study

Autori
Huršidić Radulović, Azra ; Žaja, Roko ; Milošević, Milan ; Radulović, Bojana ; Luketić, Ivica ; Božić, Tajana

Izvornik
Arhiv za higijenu rada i toksikologiju (0004-1254) 72 (2021), 3; 232-239

Vrsta, podvrsta i kategorija rada
Radovi u časopisima, članak, znanstveni

Ključne riječi
back pain ; ergonomics ; gender ; hand pain ; neck pain ; physical activity ; work space ; work with computers

Sažetak
One of the side-effects of the COVID-19 pandemic is a global change in work ergonomic patterns as millions of people replaced their usual work environment with home to limit the spread of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-COV-2) infection. The aim of our cross- sectional pilot study was to identify musculoskeletal pain that may have resulted from this change and included 232 telecommunications company workers of both genders [121 (52.2 %) men aged 23–62 (median 41 ; interquartile range 33–46 yrs.) and 111 (47.8 %) women aged 23–53 (median 40 ; interquartile range 33–44)] who had been working from home for eight months (from 16 March to 4 December 2020) before they joined the study. The participants were asked to fill in our web- based questionnaire by self-assessing their experience of hand, lower back, and upper back/neck pain while working at home and by describing their work setting and physical activity. Compared to previous work at the office, 90 (39.1 %) participants reported stronger pain in the lower back, 105 (45.7 %) in the upper back/neck, and 63 (27.2 %) in their hands. Only one third did not report any musculoskeletal problems related to work from home. Significantly fewer men than women reported hand, lower back, and upper back/neck pain (p=0.033, p=0.001 and p=0.013, respectively). Sixty-nine workers (29.9 %) reported to work in a separate room, 75 (32.4 %) worked in a separate section of a room with other household members, whereas 87 (37.7 %) had no separate work space, 30 of whom most often worked in the dining room. Ninety-five participants (40.9 %) had no office desk to work at, and only 75 (32.3 %) used an ergonomic chair. Of those who shared their household with others (N=164), 116 (70.7 %) complained about constant or occasional disturbances. Over a half of all participants (52 %) said that they worked longer hours from home than at work, predominantly women (p=0.05). Only 69 participants (29.9 %) were taking frequent breaks, predominantly older ones (p=0.006). Our findings clearly point to a need to inform home workers how to make more ergonomic use of non- ergonomic equipment, use breaks, and exercise and to inform employers how to better organise working hours to meet the needs of work from home.

Izvorni jezik
Engleski

Znanstvena područja
Kliničke medicinske znanosti, Javno zdravstvo i zdravstvena zaštita

POVEZANOST RADA