A shorter workday as a means of reducing the occurence of musculoskeletal disorders
(2003) In Scandinavian Journal of Work, Environment and Health 29(1). p.27-34- Abstract
- Objectives: The study examined the relation between daily workhours and the occurrence of neck-shoulder or back pain in physically demanding care work.
Methods: Unpublished data were obtained from three intervention projects in care institutions. The projects had been conducted independently in Oslo (46 participants, 175 referents before and 158 referents after the intervention), Helsingborg (60 participants, 89 referents) and Stockholm (41 participants, 22 referents) between 1995 and 1998. The intervention was a reduction of daily workhours from ≥7 or more to 6 hours (or 30 hours weekly). Full-time salary was retained, and extra personnel were employed to compensate for the reduction in workhours. Data were collected by... (More) - Objectives: The study examined the relation between daily workhours and the occurrence of neck-shoulder or back pain in physically demanding care work.
Methods: Unpublished data were obtained from three intervention projects in care institutions. The projects had been conducted independently in Oslo (46 participants, 175 referents before and 158 referents after the intervention), Helsingborg (60 participants, 89 referents) and Stockholm (41 participants, 22 referents) between 1995 and 1998. The intervention was a reduction of daily workhours from ≥7 or more to 6 hours (or 30 hours weekly). Full-time salary was retained, and extra personnel were employed to compensate for the reduction in workhours. Data were collected by self-administered questionnaires before and during the intervention periods, lasting from 12 to 22 months.
Results: The prevalence of neck-shoulder pain decreased from 40.9% to 25.6% in Oslo and from 57.1% to 39.1% in Helsingborg after 1.5 years with a 6-hour workday; for Stockholm the decrease was from 81.6% to 68.3% after 1 year. No decrease was observed in the reference groups. The prevalence of back pain did not show the same consistent pattern.
Conclusions: The shortening of regular workdays from ≥7 hours to 6 hours may considerably reduce the prevalence of neck-shoulder pain among persons with physically demanding care work. The potential health benefits should encourage intervention studies also in other occupations with increased risk of work-related musculoskeletal disorders. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
https://lup.lub.lu.se/record/2339533
- author
- Wergeland, Ebba L ; Veiersted, Bo ; Ingre, Michael ; Olsson, Birgitta LU ; Åkerstedt, Tobjörn ; Björnskau, Torkel and Varg, Nils
- publishing date
- 2003
- type
- Contribution to journal
- publication status
- published
- subject
- keywords
- MSDbackmusculoskeletal disorderneckpainshoulderwoman workdayworkhoursworkloadworktime
- in
- Scandinavian Journal of Work, Environment and Health
- volume
- 29
- issue
- 1
- pages
- 27 - 34
- publisher
- Finnish Institute of Occupational Health
- external identifiers
-
- scopus:0037323923
- ISSN
- 0355-3140
- DOI
- 10.5271/sjweh.701
- language
- English
- LU publication?
- no
- id
- 413f64af-bae1-4a30-ab37-771ebfb67dba (old id 2339533)
- date added to LUP
- 2016-04-01 12:19:14
- date last changed
- 2022-01-27 02:01:42
@article{413f64af-bae1-4a30-ab37-771ebfb67dba,
abstract = {{Objectives: The study examined the relation between daily workhours and the occurrence of neck-shoulder or back pain in physically demanding care work.<br/><br>
<br/><br>
Methods: Unpublished data were obtained from three intervention projects in care institutions. The projects had been conducted independently in Oslo (46 participants, 175 referents before and 158 referents after the intervention), Helsingborg (60 participants, 89 referents) and Stockholm (41 participants, 22 referents) between 1995 and 1998. The intervention was a reduction of daily workhours from ≥7 or more to 6 hours (or 30 hours weekly). Full-time salary was retained, and extra personnel were employed to compensate for the reduction in workhours. Data were collected by self-administered questionnaires before and during the intervention periods, lasting from 12 to 22 months.<br/><br>
<br/><br>
Results: The prevalence of neck-shoulder pain decreased from 40.9% to 25.6% in Oslo and from 57.1% to 39.1% in Helsingborg after 1.5 years with a 6-hour workday; for Stockholm the decrease was from 81.6% to 68.3% after 1 year. No decrease was observed in the reference groups. The prevalence of back pain did not show the same consistent pattern.<br/><br>
<br/><br>
Conclusions: The shortening of regular workdays from ≥7 hours to 6 hours may considerably reduce the prevalence of neck-shoulder pain among persons with physically demanding care work. The potential health benefits should encourage intervention studies also in other occupations with increased risk of work-related musculoskeletal disorders.}},
author = {{Wergeland, Ebba L and Veiersted, Bo and Ingre, Michael and Olsson, Birgitta and Åkerstedt, Tobjörn and Björnskau, Torkel and Varg, Nils}},
issn = {{0355-3140}},
keywords = {{MSDbackmusculoskeletal disorderneckpainshoulderwoman workdayworkhoursworkloadworktime}},
language = {{eng}},
number = {{1}},
pages = {{27--34}},
publisher = {{Finnish Institute of Occupational Health}},
series = {{Scandinavian Journal of Work, Environment and Health}},
title = {{A shorter workday as a means of reducing the occurence of musculoskeletal disorders}},
url = {{https://lup.lub.lu.se/search/files/2874916/2340577.pdf}},
doi = {{10.5271/sjweh.701}},
volume = {{29}},
year = {{2003}},
}