PURPOSE: Unfavorable psychosocial working conditions are hypothesized to lead to perceived stress, which, in turn, can be related to an increased risk of development of neck/shoulder symptoms through increased and sustained muscle activation. The aim of the present study was to test this hypothesized process model among medical secretaries, a female-dominated profession characterized by a high amount of visual display unit use and a high prevalence of neck/shoulder symptoms. METHODS: In this cross-sectional study, a questionnaire survey was conducted among medical secretaries (n = 200). The proposed process model was tested using a path model framework. RESULTS: The results indicate that high work demands were related to high perceived stress, which in turn was related to a high perceived muscle tension and neck/shoulder symptoms. Low influence at work was not related to perceived stress, but was directly related to a high perceived muscle tension. CONCLUSIONS: In general, these cross-sectional results lend tentative support for the hypothesis that adverse psychosocial work conditions (high work demands) may contribute to the development of neck/shoulder symptoms through the mechanism of stress-induced sustained muscular activation. This process model needs to be further tested in longitudinal studies.
PURPOSE: Unfavorable psychosocial working conditions are hypothesized to lead to perceived stress, which, in turn, can be related to an increased risk of development of neck/shoulder symptoms through increased and sustained muscle activation. The aim of the present study was to test this hypothesized process model among medical secretaries, a female-dominated profession characterized by a high amount of visual display unit use and a high prevalence of neck/shoulder symptoms. METHODS: In this cross-sectional study, a questionnaire survey was conducted among medical secretaries (n = 200). The proposed process model was tested using a path model framework. RESULTS: The results indicate that high work demands were related to high perceived stress, which in turn was related to a high perceived muscle tension and neck/shoulder symptoms. Low influence at work was not related to perceived stress, but was directly related to a high perceived muscle tension. CONCLUSIONS: In general, these cross-sectional results lend tentative support for the hypothesis that adverse psychosocial work conditions (high work demands) may contribute to the development of neck/shoulder symptoms through the mechanism of stress-induced sustained muscular activation. This process model needs to be further tested in longitudinal studies.
Authors: S Thorn; K Søgaard; L A C Kallenberg; L Sandsjö; G Sjøgaard; H J Hermens; R Kadefors; M Forsman Journal: J Electromyogr Kinesiol Date: 2006-07-07 Impact factor: 2.368
Authors: M F Polanyi; D C Cole; D E Beaton; J Chung; R Wells; M Abdolell; L Beech-Hawley; S E Ferrier; M V Mondloch; S A Shields; J M Smith; H S Shannon Journal: Am J Ind Med Date: 1997-12 Impact factor: 2.214
Authors: Sonya S Brady; Linda Brubaker; Cynthia S Fok; Sheila Gahagan; Cora E Lewis; Jessica Lewis; Jerry L Lowder; Jesse Nodora; Ann Stapleton; Mary H Palmer Journal: Health Promot Pract Date: 2020-01-07
Authors: Anna-Karin Lennartsson; Töres Theorell; Alan L Rockwood; Mark M Kushnir; Ingibjörg H Jonsdottir Journal: PLoS One Date: 2013-08-28 Impact factor: 3.240