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Integrative interventions for MSDs: Nature, evidence, challenges & directions

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Abstract

Background: When applied to workplace interventions, integrative may be seen in various ways, requiring elucidation. Methods: Identification of primary studies through systematic reviews, limited bibliographic literature searches, the Cochrane Occupational Health Field database on intervention studies, and authors’ files. Focus was 2000 on. Categorization according to the Cochrane classes and lenses on integrative. Synthesis as narrative review. Results: Examples of each lens on integrative were uncovered: biomechanical and psychosocial, multiple component, primary and secondary prevention, organizational, and system. Each contributed different understanding to the potential impacts on different knowledge, exposure, behavior, health and administrative outcomes. Conclusions: Considerable opportunities exist to expand the range of integrative interventions, particularly at the organizational and system levels, and incorporate a combination of knowledge transfer and exchange with intervention evaluation.

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Acknowledgements

The authors would like to acknowledge contributions by other members of the Workplace Health Intervention Research team (Sue Ferrier, Nancy Theberge, Emile Tompa, Richard Wells, Alysha Williams); members of workplaces and health and safety system partners with whom we have developed these ideas as part of a Canadian Institute of Health Research Development press. The Institute for Work & Health, an independent not-for-profit research organization, sponsored the work and in turn receives support from the Ontario Workplace Safety & Insurance Board. Specific funding for the integrative newspaper evaluation cited was provided by the RSI Committee and the U.S. National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health/National Institutes of Health under Research Grant #5 R01 OH003708-03.

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  1. Institute for Work & Health, 481 University Avenue, Suite 800, Toronto, Ontario, M5G 2E9, Canada

    Donald C. Cole, Dwayne Van Eerd, Philip Bigelow & Irina Rivilis

  2. Department of Public Health Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, M5G 2E9, Canada

    Donald C. Cole, Philip Bigelow & Irina Rivilis

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Cole, D.C., Van Eerd, D., Bigelow, P. et al. Integrative interventions for MSDs: Nature, evidence, challenges & directions. J Occup Rehabil 16, 351–366 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10926-006-9032-5

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