ILO Home
Go to the home page
Site map | Contact us Français | Español

CISDOC database

Document ID (ISN)50155
CIS number 88-1370
ISSN - Serial title 0267-8373 - Work and Stress
Year 1987
Convention or series no.
Author(s) Evans J.
Title Women, men, VDU work and health: A questionnaire survey of British VDU operators
Bibliographic information July-Sep. 1987, Vol.1, No.3, p.271-283. Illus. 16 ref.
Abstract Study based on the analysis of 3819 questionnaires. 57% of the sample were female, 68% were under 35 years old and 73% were members of a trade union or staff association. The large number of male respondents meant that it was possible to compare work patterns, types of work and health effects for men and women. It appears that women are engaged in more repetitive and less varied tasks at the VDU and that they work longer hours and for longer periods without a break than men. The most frequently reported health problems were eyestrain, painful or stiff neck and shoulders, fatigue and irritated eyes. The incidence of symptoms was related to hours of work at the VDU. Women were more likely to report health effects than men. This difference remains when hours of work, type of work and hours worked without a break are taken into account. Ergonomically designed equipment such as adjustabe chairs, lighting or keyboard did not have an obvious effect on the reporting of symptoms. It appeared that there is a complex interaction between the physical, ergonomic and psychosocial factors associated with new technology. All these factors need to be taken into account in further research into the health problems of VDU operators.
Descriptors (primary) office work; visual display terminals
Descriptors (secondary) United Kingdom; human factors; sex-linked differences; ergonomic evaluation; women; questionnaire survey
Document type D - Periodical articles
Subject(s) Lighting, colour and vision
Broad subject area(s) Physiology, ergonomics
Browse category(ies) Visual display terminals (VDTs)
Office work