Visual and psychological stress during computer work in healthy, young females—physiological responses

Mork, Randi; Falkenberg, Helle K.; Fostervold, Knut Inge; Thorud, Hanne-Mari Schiøtz

doi:10.1007/s00420-018-1324-5

Cited by 26 publications

(32 citation statements)

References 97 publications

(146 reference statements)

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“…Furthermore, due to the high accuracy requirements for tasks such as inspection or manual assembly, workers tend to bend their necks forward to give optimal visual conditions and could cause shoulder symptoms [32]. Aghilinejad et al found that the use of magni cation loupes may improve the visibility of electronic parts as well as improving the postures of assembly workers and may reduce musculoskeletal discomfort [30].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Work-Related and Personal Factors in Shoulder Disorders Among Electronics Workers

Chu¹,

Wang²,

Guo³

2020

Preprint

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Background The electronics industry is one of the largest global industries, and significant numbers of workers are engaged in this industry. Evidence suggests two associations: between ergonomic risks and shoulder disorders, and between psychological stress and psychological problems among workers in this industry. There have been very few investigations on ergonomic risks, psychological stress, and gender effect for shoulder disorders in this industry. This study aimed to explore personal and work-related factors associated with shoulder disorders, and to investigate the combined effect of similar ergonomic risk factors. Methods In this cross-sectional study, 931 workers aged 20 to 58 from an electronics factory were recruited. Nordic musculoskeletal questionnaire was used to assess shoulder symptoms. The socio-demographic factors and work-related factors, including psychological stress, were assessed. 100 random sample workers with shoulder symptoms underwent a standardized clinical test for the evaluation of subacromial impingement syndrome. The ergonomic risks were assessed by the risk filter of “Upper limb disorders in the workplace”, including repetition, posture, force, vibration, and duration of exposure. Results The prevalence of shoulder symptoms was 30.5%, and 19% of those with shoulder symptoms had subacromial impingement syndrome. In multivariable analyses, older age (adjusted odds ratio (aOR) = 1.37, 95% CI 1.01-1.86), repetition (aOR = 1.73, 95% CI 1.15-2.60) and posture (aOR = 1.85, 95% CI 1.10-3.11) were associated with shoulder symptoms. About the gender effect, older age (aOR = 1.46, 95% CI 1.01-2.11), repetition (aOR = 1.64, 95% CI 1.00-2.68), posture (aOR = 1.89, 95% CI 1.01-3.52), and force (aOR = 1.68, 95% CI 0.99-2.85) were associated with shoulder symptoms in men, while repetition (aOR = 2.73, 95% CI 1.52-4.93) and posture (aOR = 2.12, 95% CI 0.99-4.57) were associated with the symptoms in women. Conclusions This study implies that repetition and posture were important risk factors for shoulder disorders in the electronics industry. The risk showed gender differences, and force was more important for shoulder disorders in men. Such information is useful to help occupational health practitioners and policy makers conduct preventive programs on shoulder disorders in this working population. Future longitudinal studies on work-related shoulder disorders are warranted.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Work-Related and Personal Factors in Shoulder Disorders Among Electronics Workers

Chu¹,

Wang²,

Guo³

2020

Preprint

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“…When the eyes must adjust for a clear retinal image, the intensity of muscle activity in trapezius increases [3][4][5]. In a recent experimental study, an induced transient increase was found in trapezius muscle blood flow when the study participants' were exposed to moderate glare [6]. Even lower degrees of blur may cause impaired performance and visual discomfort, and people working in poor visual conditions are more likely to suffer from musculoskeletal disorders [7].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 97%

Visual fatigue during control room work in process industries

Glimne

Brautaset

Österman

2020

WOR

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BACKGROUND: Working in front of computer screens is visually demanding and related to adverse eye symptoms. Occurrence of glare further increases visual fatigue. OBJECTIVE: This paper presents results from an examination of visual ergonomics in control room environments at two Swedish process industries. METHODS: Visual conditions were examined and evaluated in nine control rooms and eighteen process operators answered questions about their perceived workload and visual experiences. RESULTS: When working in the control rooms, the mental workload was rated significantly higher by the participants, compared to experienced performance. The operators further experienced significantly higher visual fatigue and blurred vision compared to double vision and sore eyes. Visual demands were increased in conditions where contrast glare was present, as well as frequent changes of focusing distances, and low contrast between background and characters in computer screens. CONCLUSIONS: Suboptimal visual working conditions in the control rooms contributes to increased visual demands on the operators. Presence of glare is leading to visual fatigue and an unnecessary high mental load. The findings support the relevance of considering principles of general and visual ergonomics when designing and organizing work in control rooms. Workstation design should also be flexible to allow for individual and contextual adjustments.

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“…In addition, glare exposure has been reported to result in increased orbicularis oculi muscle activity and decreased aperture size (eyelid squinting), decreased pupil size, increased trapezius blood flow, altered eye movements, decreased reading performance, and reduced productivity (Berman et al 1994;Glimne et al 2015;Glimne et al 2013;Gowrisankaran et al 2007;Hemphälä and Eklund 2012;Lin et al 2015;Mork et al 2016;Mork et al 2018).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Discomfort glare and psychological stress during computer work: subjective responses and associations between neck pain and trapezius muscle blood flow

Mork

Falkenberg

Fostervold

et al. 2019

Int Arch Occup Environ Health

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Exposure to additional environmental stress during computer work, such as visual and psychological demands, is associated with increased eye and neck discomfort, altered moods, and reduced well-being. The aim of this study is to elucidate further how subjective responses in healthy, young females with normal binocular vision are affected by glare and psychological stress during computer work, and to investigate possible associations between trapezius muscle blood flow and neck pain development. Methods Forty-three females participated in a laboratory experiment with a within-subject design. Four ten-minute computer work conditions with exposure to different stressors were performed at an ergonomically optimal workstation, under the following series of conditions: no additional stress, visual stress (induced as direct glare from a large glare source), psychological stress, and combined visual and psychological stress. Before and immediately after each computer work condition, questionnaires regarding different visual and eye symptoms, neck and shoulder symptoms, positive and negative state moods, perceived task difficulty, and perceived ambient lighting were completed. Associations between neck pain and trapezius muscle blood flow were also investigated. Results Exposure to direct glare induced greater development of visual/eye symptoms and discomfort, while psychological stress exposure made participants feel more negative and stressed. The perception of work lighting during glare exposure was closely related to perceived stress, and associations between visual discomfort and eyestrain, and neck pain were observed in all conditions. Furthermore, participants with high trapezius muscle blood flow overall reported more neck pain, independent of exposure. Conclusions Exposure to visual and psychological stresses during computer work affects the development of symptoms and negative moods in healthy, young females with normal binocular vision, but in different ways. The results also demonstrate the complex interactions involved in symptom development and lighting appraisal during computer work. When optimizing computer workstations, the complexity of the field must be taken into account, and several factors, including visual conditions, must be considered carefully.

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Visual and psychological stress during computer work in healthy, young females—physiological responses

Cited by 26 publications

References 97 publications

Work-Related and Personal Factors in Shoulder Disorders Among Electronics Workers

Work-Related and Personal Factors in Shoulder Disorders Among Electronics Workers

Visual fatigue during control room work in process industries

Discomfort glare and psychological stress during computer work: subjective responses and associations between neck pain and trapezius muscle blood flow

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