Thesis Archive
Assessing risk factors for neck pain among visual display unit users in contact centers across gender (2011)
Michael Christian M. Advicunla
Jacqueline A. Mayoralgo
Regen Leslie O. Sysunbin
Abstract:
-In the 21st century, work related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSDs), which affects the body muscles, joints, tendons, ligaments, bones and nerves, have become a growing problem. This century also marks the rise of technology developments such as computers. These computers have been heavily and widely used especially in the Information Economy. The Business Processing Sector, which is a cluster of the Information and Communication Technology Sector, heavily employs the use of computers in their workstations. Aside from the increasing use of computers, employment in call centers has been increasing from 2005-2008. A call center agent, whose range from technical support and sales, have been experiencing neck pain due to awkward postures, prolonged sitting and over tension of the neck muscles. The increasing trend of employment in call centers and the increase in reports of neck pain in the call center workers has been alarming.
Previous studies have been already found several workstation and psychological factors that contributes to neck pain. These factors include keyboard position, keyboard distance, monitor position, monitor distance, monitor height, duration of computer use without breaks and job control. The main effects of these factors have long been studied; however, the two-way interactions of the combination of these effects have yet to be studied. More so, there has been an on-going debate on which types of factors (workstation or psychosocial) must ne prioritized when addressing a workstation. This study explores the two-way interactions between computer workstation factors and the psychosocial factor, job control.
The study was conducted in two call centers in Metro Manila. Data was taken from 45 samples. These included the use of the Neck Disability Index and the Job Diagnostic Survey to measure neck pain and job control respectively. Various angles of the body with respect to the computer workstation were also taken using the goniometer and measuring tape. Multiple Regression was the method used in order to analyze the data. In order to give importance to the computer workstation and psychosocial factors, gender was used to group the data. Results showed that long durations in front of the computer (for both men and women) and keyboard position (for women only) contributed positively to neck pain. As the psychosocial factor, job control, was significant to neck pain, no two-way interactions were explored.
This reinforces studies that sate that job control (mental stress, social support, empowerment) does not affect the incidence of neck pain among call center operators. Furthermore, when there are problems of neck pain, only the computer workstation design must be addressed. This calls for proper ergonomic programs in call centers, whose employees spend numerous hours in front of the computer. It is recommended that further studies should be done among call center graveyard shift workers, as only the regular shifts were taken into consideration. Given that this study only considered rectangular computer workstations, other types of workstations such as the U-shaped or L-shaped workstation can also be further studied.
Adviser:
Ms. Rosemary Seva
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