Biomedical subjects

Dwayne Van Eerd

Publications and source records attributed to Dwayne Van Eerd.

5 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2006

Capturing cases in workers' compensation databases: the example of neck pain.

BACKGROUND: There is a need to more accurately enumerate workers with musculoskeletal injuries who make lost-time claims to workers compensation boards. The objective of this study is to develop an approach to more accurately enumerate these workers. METHODS: Lost-time claims to the Ontario Workplace Safety & Insurance Board (WSIB) were reviewed. Using neck pain as an example, nature of injury and part of body codes were identified to classify cases. Claims of a random sample of 434 claimants were reviewed. The proportion of claimants classified as having neck pain was computed. RESULTS: The proportion of claimants classified with soft-tissue injuries to the neck varied from 0.88 for codes including "neck/cervical region," 0.69 for "back region" to 0.05 for those coded as "shoulder/upper arm." CONCLUSIONS: Restricting the enumeration of injuries to specific part of body codes can lead to a gross underestimation of the magnitude of soft-tissue disorders in epidemiological studies using workers' compensation data. The proposed approach leads to more accurate enumeration.

Accidents, Occupational↗

PubMed2006

Workplace interventions to prevent musculoskeletal and visual symptoms and disorders among computer users: a systematic review.

BACKGROUND: The literature examining the effects of workstation, eyewear and behavioral interventions on musculoskeletal and visual symptoms among computer users is large and heterogeneous. METHODS: A systematic review of the literature used a best evidence synthesis approach to address the general question "Do office interventions among computer users have an effect on musculoskeletal or visual health?" This was followed by an evaluation of specific interventions. RESULTS: The initial search identified 7313 articles which were reduced to 31 studies based on content and quality. Overall, a mixed level of evidence was observed for the general question. Moderate evidence was observed for: (1) no effect of workstation adjustment, (2) no effect of rest breaks and exercise and (3) positive effect of alternative pointing devices. For all other interventions mixed or insufficient evidence of effect was observed. CONCLUSION: Few high quality studies were found that examined the effects of interventions in the office on musculoskeletal or visual health.

Computer Peripherals↗

PubMed2006

Integrative interventions for MSDs: nature, evidence, challenges & directions.

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.

Cumulative Trauma Disorders↗

PubMed2004

Mechanical exposure concepts using force as the agent.

This paper presents a model that addresses mechanical exposure with regard to the development of musculoskeletal disorders, defines exposure concepts, unifies a variety of exposures, and includes the concept of human activity. When force is used as an agent, concepts related to the measurement, transformation, and interaction of the agent with tissues can be developed for use in epidemiologic exposure assessment and hazard assessment. The importance of tissue response in the exposure modeling process and in the creation of exposure indices is highlighted. Unfortunately, the response of tissue to forces of varying amplitudes and time variation patterns are largely unknown and thus reduce the possibility to develop optimal exposure assessment metrics. Although the paper argues that an exposure index at the tissue level may be the most powerful, considerations of resources and current knowledge make exposure indices based on external exposure or internal exposure preferable choices.

Biomechanical Phenomena↗

PubMed2003

Classification systems for upper-limb musculoskeletal disorders in workers: a review of the literature.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to provide a review of the available classification systems and to describe the similarities and differences in the structure of these systems. METHODS: Classification systems of upper limb musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) were located via electronic database searches and researchers' files. The classification systems were compared on the disorders they described and on the criteria presented for each disorder. RESULTS: Twenty-seven classification systems were found after title, abstract, or full article review of 1671 articles. The systems differed in the disorders they included, the labels used to identify the disorders, and the criteria used to describe the disorders. CONCLUSION: Twenty-seven classification systems were found that described disorders of the muscle, tendon, or nerve that may be caused or aggravated by work. No two systems were the same.

Humans↗