Article: Work-related Musculoskeletal Symptoms in Surgeons

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TitleWork-related Musculoskeletal Symptoms in Surgeons
AuthorsSzeto, GPY2
Ho, P1
Ting, ACW1
Poon, JTC1
Cheng, SWK1
Tsang, RCC3
KeywordsErgonomics
Laparoscopic and endovascular surgery
Psychosocial
Surgeons
Work-related musculoskeletal symptoms
Issue Date2009
PublisherSpringer New York LLC. The Journal's web site is located at http://springerlink.metapress.com/openurl.asp?genre=journal&issn=1053-0487
CitationJournal Of Occupational Rehabilitation, 2009, v. 19 n. 2, p. 175-184 [How to Cite?]
DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10926-009-9176-1
AbstractIntroduction Surgeons are a unique group of healthcare professionals who are at risk for developing work-related musculoskeletal symptoms (WMS). The diversity of operating skills for laparoscopic and endovascular procedures impose different physical demands on surgeons, who also work under time pressure. The present study aims to examine the physical and psychosocial factors and their association with WMS among general surgeons in Hong Kong. Method A survey was conducted among surgeons working in the General Surgery departments in public hospitals of Hong Kong. Over 500 questionnaires were mailed and 135 surgeons completed the survey successfully (response rate 27%). Questions included demographics, workload, ergonomic and psychosocial factors. The relationship of these factors with WMS symptoms in the past 12 months was examined. Results Results indicated a high prevalence rate of WMS symptoms in surgeons, mainly in the neck (82.9%), low back (68.1%), shoulder (57.8%) and upper back (52.6%) regions. Sustained static and/or awkward posture was perceived as the factor most commonly associated with neck symptoms by 88.9% of respondents. Logistic regression showed the total score for physical ergonomic factors was the most significant predictor for all 4 body regions of musculoskeletal symptoms, with OR of 2.028 (95%CI 1.29-3.19) for the neck, 1.809 (1.34-2.43) for shoulder and 1.716 (1.24-2.37) for the lower back. Workstyle score was significantly associated with the symptom severity in the low back region (P = .003) but not with the other regions. Conclusion These results confirmed a strong association of physical and psychosocial factors with the musculoskeletal symptoms in surgeons. There is a potential for such musculoskeletal symptoms to escalate in the future, with rapid advances and increasing application of minimally invasive surgery. © 2009 Springer Science+Business Media, LLC.
ISSN1053-0487
2011 Impact Factor: 2.795
2011 SCImago Journal Rankings: 0.101
DOIhttp://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10926-009-9176-1
ISI Accession Number IDWOS:000265710000006
ReferencesReferences in Scopus
DC Field
Value
dc.contributor.authorSzeto, GPY
dc.contributor.authorHo, P
dc.contributor.authorTing, ACW
dc.contributor.authorPoon, JTC
dc.contributor.authorCheng, SWK
dc.contributor.authorTsang, RCC
dc.date.accessioned2010-05-31T04:00:10Z
dc.date.available2010-05-31T04:00:10Z
dc.date.issued2009
dc.description.abstractIntroduction Surgeons are a unique group of healthcare professionals who are at risk for developing work-related musculoskeletal symptoms (WMS). The diversity of operating skills for laparoscopic and endovascular procedures impose different physical demands on surgeons, who also work under time pressure. The present study aims to examine the physical and psychosocial factors and their association with WMS among general surgeons in Hong Kong. Method A survey was conducted among surgeons working in the General Surgery departments in public hospitals of Hong Kong. Over 500 questionnaires were mailed and 135 surgeons completed the survey successfully (response rate 27%). Questions included demographics, workload, ergonomic and psychosocial factors. The relationship of these factors with WMS symptoms in the past 12 months was examined. Results Results indicated a high prevalence rate of WMS symptoms in surgeons, mainly in the neck (82.9%), low back (68.1%), shoulder (57.8%) and upper back (52.6%) regions. Sustained static and/or awkward posture was perceived as the factor most commonly associated with neck symptoms by 88.9% of respondents. Logistic regression showed the total score for physical ergonomic factors was the most significant predictor for all 4 body regions of musculoskeletal symptoms, with OR of 2.028 (95%CI 1.29-3.19) for the neck, 1.809 (1.34-2.43) for shoulder and 1.716 (1.24-2.37) for the lower back. Workstyle score was significantly associated with the symptom severity in the low back region (P = .003) but not with the other regions. Conclusion These results confirmed a strong association of physical and psychosocial factors with the musculoskeletal symptoms in surgeons. There is a potential for such musculoskeletal symptoms to escalate in the future, with rapid advances and increasing application of minimally invasive surgery. © 2009 Springer Science+Business Media, LLC.
dc.description.natureLink_to_subscribed_fulltext
dc.identifier.citationJournal Of Occupational Rehabilitation, 2009, v. 19 n. 2, p. 175-184 [How to Cite?]
DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10926-009-9176-1
dc.identifier.citeulike4381221
dc.identifier.doihttp://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10926-009-9176-1
dc.identifier.epage184
dc.identifier.hkuros157184
dc.identifier.isiWOS:000265710000006
dc.identifier.issn1053-0487
2011 Impact Factor: 2.795
2011 SCImago Journal Rankings: 0.101
dc.identifier.issue2
dc.identifier.openurl
dc.identifier.pmid19381790
dc.identifier.scopuseid_2-s2.0-67349248422
dc.identifier.spage175
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/10722/59920
dc.identifier.volume19
dc.languageeng
dc.publisherSpringer New York LLC. The Journal's web site is located at http://springerlink.metapress.com/openurl.asp?genre=journal&issn=1053-0487
dc.publisher.placeUnited States
dc.relation.ispartofJournal of Occupational Rehabilitation
dc.relation.referencesReferences in Scopus
dc.subject.meshAdult
dc.subject.meshCross-Sectional Studies
dc.subject.meshEndoscopy
dc.subject.meshFemale
dc.subject.meshGeneral Surgery
dc.subject.meshHealth Surveys
dc.subject.meshHong Kong
dc.subject.meshHumans
dc.subject.meshLaparoscopy
dc.subject.meshMale
dc.subject.meshMusculoskeletal Diseases - etiology
dc.subject.meshOccupational Diseases
dc.subject.meshPhysicians
dc.subject.meshPosture
dc.subject.meshQuestionnaires
dc.subject.meshWorkload
dc.subject.meshYoung Adult
dc.subjectErgonomics
dc.subjectLaparoscopic and endovascular surgery
dc.subjectPsychosocial
dc.subjectSurgeons
dc.subjectWork-related musculoskeletal symptoms
dc.titleWork-related Musculoskeletal Symptoms in Surgeons
dc.typeArticle
Author Affiliations
  1. The University of Hong Kong
  2. Hong Kong Polytechnic University
  3. Queen Mary Hospital Hong Kong