Abstract
There is a lack of consistent and comprehensive questionnaire forms for the studies of factors associated with work-related musculoskeletal disorders at the European level. One of the results of the EU-funded project, neuromuscular assessment in the elderly worker (NEW), is a set of questionnaires for the screening of musculoskeletal status and the studies of factors that are believed to affect musculoskeletal health. The questionnaires have been used among elderly women (45+) in different occupations and organisations in Denmark, The Netherlands, Sweden and Switzerland. The aim of this short communication is to present the questionnaires used in the NEW study and to evaluate the appropriateness of pooling data gathered in each participating country into a common database. It is concluded that although differences exist among the study samples, these are not of such a magnitude or pattern that data from the four groups cannot be pooled. The questionnaires are available in Danish, Dutch, English, German and Swedish.
References
Aarås A, Horgen G, BjØrset HH, Ro O, Thoresen M (1998) Musculoskeletal, visual and psychosocial stress in VDU operators before and after multidisciplinary ergonomic interventions. Appl Ergon 29:335–354
Borg G (1998) Borg’s perceived exertion and pain scales. Human Kinetics, Champaign
Hagberg M, Tornqvist EW, Toomingas A (2002) Self-reported reduced productivity due to musculoskeletal symptoms: associations with workplace and individual factors among white-collar computer users. J Occup Rehabil 12:151–162
Ilmarinen J, Tuomi K, Klockars M (1997) Changes in the workability of active employees over an 11-year period. Scand J Work Environ Health 23:49–57
Jensen C, Ryholt CU, Burr H, Villadsen E, Christensen H (2002) Work-related psychosocial, physical and individual factors associated with musculoskeletal symptoms in computer users. Work Stress 16:107–120
Kihlberg S, Franzon H, Fröberg J, Hägg GM, Johansson Hanse J, Kjellberg A, Mathiassen S-E, Medbo P, Neumann WP, Winkel J (2005) Ett produktionssystem under förändring: ergonomisk och teknisk utvärdering: National Institute for Working Life
Kjellberg A, Johansson Hanse J, Franzon H, Holmgren C (2000) Mood ratings at work and job strain and their relation to neck and shoulder symptoms. Proceedings of the XIVth Triennial Congress of the International Ergonomics Association and 44th Annual meeting of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society, pp 63–66
von Korff M, Ormel J, Francis J, Dworkin S (1992) Grading the severity of chronic pain. Pain 50:133–149
Kristensen TS, Borg V, Hannerz H (2002) Socioeconomic status and psychosocial work environment: Results from a Danish national study. Scand J Public Health 30:41–48
Kuorinka I, Jonsson B, Kilbom Å, Vinterberg H, Biering-Sorensen F, Andersson G, Jorgensen K (1987) Standardised Nordic questionnaires for the analysis of musculoskeletal symptoms. Appl Ergon 18:233–237
Peter R, Alfredsson L, Hammar N, Siegrist J, Theorell T, Westerholm P (1998) High effort, low reward, and cardiovascular risk factors in employed Swedish men and women: Baseline results from the WOLF study. J Epidemiol Community Health 52:540–547
Schibye B, Hansen AF, Søgaard K, Christensen H (2001) Aerobic power and muscle strength among young and elderly workers with and without physically demanding work tasks. Appl Ergon 32:425–431
Schwarz N (1999) Self-Reports: How the questions shape the answers. Am Psychol 54:93–105
Sjøgaard G, Søgaard K, Hermens HJ, Sandsjö L, Läubli T, Thorn S, Vollenbroek-Hutten M, Sell L, Christensen H, Klipstein A, Kadefors R, Merletti R (2005) Neuromuscular assessment in elderly workers with and without work related shoulder/neck trouble. The NEW-study design and physiological findings. Eur J Appl Physiol (This issue)
Winkel J, Christmansson M, Cyrén H, Engström T, Mathiassen S-E, Möller T, Petersson NF (1999) A Swedish industrial research program ‘Co-operative for optimization of industrial production systems regarding productivity and ergonomics’ (COPE). Am J Ind Med Suppl 1:82–85
Acknowledgements
This work was undertaken within the project Neuromuscular assessment in the elderly worker (NEW), with partial financial support from the EC within the RTD action QLRT 2000 00139. The authors want to thank Hanne Christensen and Helena Franzon for their contribution during the early stages of this study.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Sandsjö, L., Larsman, P., Vollenbroek-Hutten, M.M.R. et al. Comparative assessment of study groups of elderly female computer users from four European countries: questionnaires used in the NEW study. Eur J Appl Physiol 96, 122–126 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-005-0041-4
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-005-0041-4