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Document ID (ISN)103376
CIS number 04-492
ISBN(s) 0-7176-2903-1
Year 2004
Convention or series no. HSE Research Report RR 273
Author(s) Devereux J., Rydstedt L., Kelly V., Weston P., Buckle P.
Health and Safety Executive
Title The role of work stress and psychological factors in the development of musculoskeletal disorders
Bibliographic information HSE Books, P.O. Box 1999, Sudbury, Suffolk CO10 2WA, United Kingdom, 2004. x, 139p. Illus. 79 ref. Price: GBP 20.00. Downloadable version free of charge.
Internet access http://www.hse.gov.uk/research/rrpdf/rr273.pdf [in English]
Abstract This study was conducted to establish the role of stress and other psychological factors on the incidence of musculoskeletal disorders. A prospective epidemiological cohort study design was chosen. This comprised a baseline cross-sectional study of 8000 workers drawn from 20 enterprises across 11 industrial sectors in the United Kingdom, 3139 of whom were then followed for 15 months. Baseline and follow-up data were collected by means of questionnaires. Work effort, unclear role definition and verbal abuse with clients or the public were the most important factors of perceived job stress. High perceived job stress was found to be an intermediate factor between high exposure to both physical and psychosocial work risk factors and self-reported low back, upper back and hand-wrist complaints.
Descriptors (primary) musculoskeletal diseases; risk factors; stress factors; psychology of work organization
Descriptors (secondary) subjective assessment; United Kingdom; report; mental workload; hand injuries; wrist lesions; questionnaire survey; cohort study; violence; backache
Document type E - Books, reports, proceedings
Country / State or ProvinceUnited Kingdom
Subject(s) Occupational pathology
Broad subject area(s) Stress, psychosocial factors
Browse category(ies) Mental stress and burnout
Diseases of the musculoskeletal system
Psychology of work organization
Violence and terrorism
Psychological factors