BACKGROUND: Assessing the physical demands of the heterogeneous jobs in hospitals requires appropriate and validated assessment methodologies. METHODS: As part of an integrated assessment, we adapted Rapid Entire Body Assessment (REBA), using it in a work sampling mode facilitated by a hand-held personal digital assistant, expanding it with selected items from the UC Computer Use Checklist, and developed a scoring algorithm for ergonomics risk factors for the upper (UB) and lower body (LB). RESULTS: The inter-rater reliability kappa was 0.54 for UB and 0.66 for LB. The scoring algorithm demonstrated significant variation (ANOVA p<0.05) by occupation in anticipated directions (administrators ranked lowest; support staff ranked highest on both scores). A supplemental self-assessment measure of spinal loading correlated with high strain LB scores (r=0.30; p<0.001). CONCLUSION: We developed and validated a scoring algorithm incorporating a revised REBA schema adding computer use items, appropriate for ergonomics assessment across a range of hospital jobs.
BACKGROUND: Assessing the physical demands of the heterogeneous jobs in hospitals requires appropriate and validated assessment methodologies. METHODS: As part of an integrated assessment, we adapted Rapid Entire Body Assessment (REBA), using it in a work sampling mode facilitated by a hand-held personal digital assistant, expanding it with selected items from the UC Computer Use Checklist, and developed a scoring algorithm for ergonomics risk factors for the upper (UB) and lower body (LB). RESULTS: The inter-rater reliability kappa was 0.54 for UB and 0.66 for LB. The scoring algorithm demonstrated significant variation (ANOVA p<0.05) by occupation in anticipated directions (administrators ranked lowest; support staff ranked highest on both scores). A supplemental self-assessment measure of spinal loading correlated with high strain LB scores (r=0.30; p<0.001). CONCLUSION: We developed and validated a scoring algorithm incorporating a revised REBA schema adding computer use items, appropriate for ergonomics assessment across a range of hospital jobs.
Authors: Augustine A Acquah; Clive D'Souza; Bernard J Martin; John Arko-Mensah; Paul K Botwe; Prudence Tettey; Duah Dwomoh; Afua Amoabeng Nti; Lawrencia Kwarteng; Sylvia Takyi; Isabella A Quakyi; Thomas G Robins; Julius N Fobil Journal: Int J Ind Ergon Date: 2021-02-23 Impact factor: 2.656
Authors: Margherita Micheletti Cremasco; Ambra Giustetto; Federica Caffaro; Andrea Colantoni; Eugenio Cavallo; Stefano Grigolato Journal: Int J Environ Res Public Health Date: 2019-03-05 Impact factor: 3.390
Authors: Ksenia A Aaron; John Vaughan; Raghav Gupta; Noor-E-Seher Ali; Alicia H Beth; Justin M Moore; Yifei Ma; Iram Ahmad; Robert K Jackler; Yona Vaisbuch Journal: PLoS One Date: 2021-02-09 Impact factor: 3.240
Authors: Abisola Osinuga; Brandi Janssen; Nathan B Fethke; William T Story; John A Imaledo; Kelly K Baker Journal: Int J Environ Res Public Health Date: 2021-10-21 Impact factor: 4.614
Authors: Frincy Francis; Sheeba E Johnsunderraj; K Y Divya; Divya Raghavan; Atiya Al-Furgani; Lily P Bera; Aniamma Abraham Journal: Sultan Qaboos Univ Med J Date: 2021-06-21
Authors: Manuel Hita-Gutiérrez; Marta Gómez-Galán; Manuel Díaz-Pérez; Ángel-Jesús Callejón-Ferre Journal: Int J Environ Res Public Health Date: 2020-04-12 Impact factor: 3.390