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Biomedical subjects

Mats Hagberg

Publications and source records attributed to Mats Hagberg.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2006

Macro-organizational factors, the incidence of work disability, and work ability among the total workforce of home care workers in Sweden.

AIMS: To investigate the importance of macro-organizational factors, i.e. organizational sociodemographic and socioeconomic preconditions, of the municipal incidence of long-term sick leave, disability pension, and prevalence of workers with long-term work ability among home care workers. METHODS: In an ecological study design, data from national databases were combined by record linkage. Descriptive and analytical statistics were used to estimate and interpret macro-organizational factors (economic resources, region, unemployment, employment, occupational rehabilitation, return to work, age structures of inhabitants and home care workers). RESULTS: The incidence of long-term sick leave among female home care workers was twice as high as that of male home care workers, and incidence of disability pension was about four times as high for the women. A great variation in municipal incidence of long-term sick leave, disability pension, and long-term work ability (101-264, 0.6-19.6, and 913-1,279 per 1,000 full-time equivalent workers and year) was also found. The strongest single factor for long-term work ability was a high proportion of part-time or hourly paid employees, which explained 35% of the municipal variation. Macro-organizational factors explained long-term work ability (47-62% explained variance) better than long-term sick leave (33% explained variance). There was a low rehabilitation activity; only 2% received occupational rehabilitation and 5% of those on sick leave longer than 2 weeks returned to work within 30 days. CONCLUSIONS: The differences in the municipal proportion of work ability incidence indicate a preventive potential, especially related to employment and return to work after sick leave.

Adult↗
PubMed2006

Relationship between hand-arm vibration exposure and onset time for symptoms in a heavy engineering production workshop.

OBJECTIVES: This study examined onset time for reported vascular and neurological symptoms in relation to the vibration load in a group of workers exposed to vibration. METHODS: Information on the self-stated year for the first occurrence of symptoms was collected by means of questionnaires. During interviews data were obtained on self-stated estimations of daily exposure time, type of tool, and number of months or years with different exposures. The estimations of the vibration magnitudes of exposure were based on conducted measurements. From these data, the individual vibration exposure at the time of onset of symptoms was calculated. RESULTS: The incidence was 25.6 and 32.9 per 1000 exposure years for vascular and neurological symptoms, respectively, in the group of workers. The first onset of symptoms appeared after an average of 12 years of exposure. For the workers, the symptoms of vascular or neurological disorders started after about the same number of exposure years. The calculated accumulated acceleration correlated best with the onset time of symptoms. CONCLUSIONS: It was concluded that, since the workers' exposure to vibration was below the action level established in the European vibration directive, the results suggest that the action level is not a safe level for avoiding vascular and neurological symptoms.

Arm↗
PubMed2005

Incidence of tinnitus, impaired hearing and musculoskeletal disorders among students enrolled in academic music education--a retrospective cohort study.

UNLABELLED: The aim was to determine the incidence of tinnitus, impaired hearing and musculoskeletal disorders among musicians and the relation to the number of practicing hours and/or the instrument type before the onset of symptoms. METHOD: The study base consisted of students enrolled in the School of Music and Music Education at Göteborg University between the years 1980 and 1995. There were 407 of the 602 original students that answered a questionnaire (response rate of 68%). The questionnaire concerned exposure before and after the enrollment in the Music Academy, as well as onset of symptoms. RESULTS: The highest incidence of symptoms was found for reported tinnitus with a rate of 10.6 per 1000 years of instrumental practice. There was a relationship between exposure to the number of hours of instrumental practice and incidence of impaired hearing. Among the musculoskeletal symptoms the highest incidences per 1000 years of instrumental practice were pain in the neck and in the left shoulder with a rate of 4.4 and 4.6 disorders per 1000 years of instrumental practice, respectively. There was 2.4 times higher incidence for musculoskeletal disorders in the right hand/wrist and a 2.2 times higher incidence in the left elbow/forearm for musicians who practiced for 20 h or more per week before the onset of disorders compared to those who practiced fewer than 20 h per week when controlling for age and gender. Musicians with a violin or a viola as the main instrument had four times the incidence for right elbow/forearm disorder and twice the incidence of neck pain, pain in the right shoulder and the left elbow/forearm compared to those who had piano as the main instrument.

Adult↗
PubMed2005

Are simple feedback interventions involving workplace data associated with better working environment and health? A cluster randomized controlled study among Swedish VDU workers.

OBJECTIVE: To test whether feedback and discussion of ergonomic and psychosocial working environment data during 1 short session with individual, groups, or supervisors of VDU workers had effects on (1) the quality of implemented modifications in workplace design, working technique, or psychosocial aspects; (2) psychological demands, decision latitude, and social support; (3) comfort during computer work, emotional stress, and prevalence of musculoskeletal symptoms or eye discomfort. METHODS: Thirty-six workgroups from 9 organizations were randomized to 3 feedback conditions (individual, workgroup, supervisor) or control. Follow-up was 6 months after intervention. Questionnaire data aggregated on the workgroup level were used. RESULTS: Effect (positive) on social support was indicated from feedback to supervisors. CONCLUSION: Feedback and discussion of ergonomic and psychosocial working environment data with supervisors of white-collar VDU workers may have positive effect on social support measured as a group characteristic. Sources of potential bias are discussed.

Adult↗
PubMed2005

Normal nerve conduction velocity and vibrotactile perception thresholds in computer users.

OBJECTIVES: A literature report described significantly raised vibration threshold within the territory of the median nerve in a group of office workers and concluded that the results indicated a change in the function of large sensory fibres. The aim of the present cross-sectional study was to compare vibrotactile perception thresholds and nerve conduction measurements in the upper extremity between female computer users (secretaries) and female non-users (nurses). METHODS: Eighty-two secretaries, aged 25-65 (median 44) years and 35 nurses, aged 24-57 (median 46) years went through nerve conduction measurements on the dominant hand and also a vibration threshold test with readings over the hand at five sites which tested cutaneous innervation of the median, ulnar, and radial nerves. RESULTS: There was no significant difference in any parameter of the nerve conduction testing and there was no significant difference in any parameter of the vibration threshold test between secretaries and nurses. The numerical differences between groups were small and in both directions and thus do not indicate a power problem. CONCLUSIONS: We saw no signs of early neural deficits of large sensory fibres in subjects who intensively use computer keyboard equipment.

Adult↗
PubMed2005

Bicycle ergometer test to obtain adequate skin temperature when measuring nerve conduction velocity.

OBJECTIVE: To achieve optimal diagnostic accuracy, measurements of nerve conduction velocity require standardised tissue temperatures. To warm an extremity to a desired temperature that remains constant during the measurement may be difficult, especially in subjects with low finger temperatures. The aim of this study was to investigate if a submaximal bicycle ergometer test before the examination would be a useful method of obtaining high and stable finger temperatures during nerve conduction studies in the hand. METHODS: 114 women aged 25-65 (median 44) performed a bicycle ergometer test on an electrically braked bicycle ergometer (Siemens-Elema) before they underwent a nerve conduction test. RESULTS: Before cycling, the mean finger temperature was 28.1 degrees C (range 20.5-35.4 degrees C) and 15 min after the test 35.1 degrees C (range 30.3-36.9 degrees C). The levels remained almost constant throughout the nerve conduction examination, which had a duration of approximately 25 min. CONCLUSIONS: A bicycle ergometer test proved to be a simple and effective method of raising hand temperature.

Adult↗
PubMed2004

Feedback of workplace data to individual workers, workgroups or supervisors as a way to stimulate working environment activity: a cluster randomized controlled study.

OBJECTIVE: To test whether feedback and discussion of ergonomic and psychosocial working-environment data during one short session with individual, groups or supervisors of white-collar computer workers had an effect on activity to modify workplace design, working technique and psychosocial aspects of work. METHODS: A total of 36 workgroups from nine organizations representing different trades was randomized (stratified for organization) to three feedback conditions or control with no feedback. Data were collected 1 month before and 6 months after feedback sessions. The effects studied were: (1) change in the proportion of workgroup members who reported any modification regarding workplace design or working technique; (2) change in the proportion of workgroup members who reported any modification regarding psychosocial aspects; (3) average number of modification types regarding workplace design or working technique per individual in a workgroup; (4) average number of modification types regarding psychosocial aspects per individual in a workgroup. RESULTS: All feedback conditions differed positively from controls regarding change in the proportion of workgroup members who reported any modification in workplace design or working technique. No such effect was found for psychosocial aspects. For change in average number of psychosocial modification types per individual in a workgroup an effect was observed for feedback to supervisors. No intervention effect was observed for the average number of modifications in workplace design or working technique per individual in a workgroup. CONCLUSION: Feedback and discussion of ergonomic and psychosocial working-environment data during one short session with individual, groups or supervisors of white-collar computer workers may have a positive effect on how many people in a workgroup modify (or have modifications done regarding) workplace design and working technique. Feedback to supervisors may have an effect on the average number of psychosocial modification types per individual in a workgroup. Feedback to group supervisors appeared to be the most cost-effective variant.

Adult↗
PubMed2004

[Recreational diving accidents in Sweden].

Even if recreational diving is gradually becoming safer, the 2-6 fatalities each year is the most serious problem in recreational diving. Human factors are behind 75% of the fatalities and medical problems seldom cause fatalities. On average 40 recreational divers are treated with recompression each year. Signs and symptoms are in general mild and only few sequelas are seen. The number of traumas to ear/balance organs, sinuses, lungs etc are difficult to estimate but these are most likely not a large part of all patients in the health care. It is currently difficult to estimate the risks in recreational diving since there is no exact information on the number of dives that are performed each year.

Athletic Injuries↗
PubMed2004

Working conditions and health among female and male employees at a call center in Sweden.

BACKGROUND: The call center industry is one of the most expansive labor market sectors in Sweden today. The purpose of this study was to investigate the working conditions and symptoms among employees at a call center in Sweden. METHODS: This study represents the cross-sectional baseline survey, which was part of a prospective cohort study. Fifty-seven call center workers were compared with a reference group of 1,459 professional computer users from other occupations. A questionnaire covered physical and psychosocial working conditions and symptoms during the last month. Structured observations in accordance with an ergonomic checklist were used to assess workstation design during the subject's ordinary work. RESULTS: The call center group had worked for a shorter time in their present tasks and spent longer continuous time in front of the computer than the reference group. There were deficiencies in workspace, keyboard- and input device placement. The subjects reported poor support from their immediate supervisor, low control and limited opportunities to influence their work. A higher proportion of the call center group reported musculoskeletal symptoms. CONCLUSION: The call center operators were exposed to working conditions that in other studies have indicated an increased risk of developing musculoskeletal disorders. The study also shows that young computer operators in the call center group with a short working career had a higher prevalence of neck- and upper extremity symptoms than older computer workers in other labor market sectors.

Adult↗
PubMed2004

Patient safety and comfort during transfers in relation to nurses' work technique.

BACKGROUND: The work technique used by health care professionals in patient transfer tasks affects the musculoskeletal load on the professionals, but probably also the safety and well-being of patients being transferred; it is thus a matter of quality of care. AIMS: The aim of this paper is to report a study exploring the relations between the work technique of nurses in patient transfer tasks, and patients' perceptions of safety and comfort during the transfers. METHODS: The work technique used by 102 nurses at orthopaedic wards to perform two common patient transfers: one transfer higher up in bed and one from bed to wheelchair, were examined using video recordings and an observation instrument. A work technique score for each performed transfer was calculated, indicating the level of musculoskeletal safety for the nurse. Nurses assessed their own work technique and patients rated the perceived safety and comfort on bipolar scales directly after each transfer. RESULTS: Patients' perceptions of safety and comfort were positively correlated to the work technique score in both transfers. Patients felt safer and more comfortable during transfers performed with a safe technique, according to the work technique score, than during those performed with a poor technique. Patients' ratings of safety in the transfer from bed to wheelchair, and their ratings of comfort in both transfers, were positively correlated to nurses' assessments of their own work technique. However, the correlation coefficients were rather low. CONCLUSIONS: The results support the existence of a relationship between nurses' skills in patient transfers and quality of patient care.

Adult↗
PubMed2003

Perceived muscular tension, emotional stress, psychological demands and physical load during VDU work.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to investigate whether perceived muscular tension, psychological demands and emotional stress were associated with physical load or working technique during visual display unit (VDU) work. METHODS: Subjects (28 women and 29 men) from two different organisations volunteered to participate in the study. The study design was cross-sectional, and the data were assessed when the subjects performed their usual work tasks at their usual work place. Multivariate linear and logistic regression models were used to investigate possible associations. The different outcome variables were: median muscle activity and muscular rest in the trapezius muscle bilaterally, wrist movements and working technique. The different explanatory variables were: perceived muscular tension (binary), emotional stress (binary), psychological demands (binary), organisation (binary) and gender (binary). Age (continuous) and present musculoskeletal pain (binary) were also controlled for in the multivariate models. Electromyography (EMG) and electrogoniometers were used to assess the physical load, and the data collection time was 15 min. An ergonomic checklist was used to assess working technique, i.e. work with lifted shoulders. RESULTS: Subjects who perceived muscular tension at least a few times per week the month before the measurements were made worked with higher muscle activity [expressed as per cent of a reference voluntary electrical activity (% RVE)] in the trapezius muscle bilaterally (5% RVE, P=0.05). High emotional stress during the measurement was associated with higher muscle activity in the trapezius muscle on the side not operating the computer mouse (8% RVE, P=0.006). Subjects who reported high levels of emotional stress worked more often with lifted shoulders (odds ratio 6.0, 95% CI 1.2-28.9). However, when present musculoskeletal pain was included in the multivariate model the odds ratio for high emotional stress decreased to 4.5 (95% CI 0.9-23.2). CONCLUSIONS: Perceived muscular tension and emotional stress were associated with physical load, in terms of muscle activity in the trapezius muscles, during VDU work in ordinary occupational settings.

Adult↗
PubMed2003

Work-system risk factors for permanent work disability among home-care workers: a case-control study.

OBJECTIVE: There is a growing need for home-care services in western societies. As home-care workers show high levels of absence related to poor health it is important that we broaden our knowledge about what factors in the work system contribute to this. The aim of this study was to explore and estimate the impact of the work system on permanent work disability and its relative importance compared with home-life risks among home-care workers. METHODS: The cases (617 subjects) were all home-care workers in Sweden, whose disability pension was approved in 1997 or 1998. The controls (771 subjects) were home-care workers still working. We used a questionnaire to gain situation-specific information on working life and home life 5 and 15 years before disability pension entitlement. RESULTS: The most important risk factors in the work system were poor ergonomic/lifting conditions, time pressure and lack of professional caring technique. Fifteen years prior to disability pension entitlement, insufficient management (odds ratio (OR) 95%, CI 2.6[1.6;4.2]) and relational problems at work were also risk factors. Five years before disability pension entitlement, poor organisational support (4.1 [2.5;6.7]), opportunities for co-working and working climate (3.5 [2.4;5.2]) were also strongly related to a persisting work ability. The magnitude of exposure to a number of risk factors had an increased effect (highest 13.8 [5.6-33.8]). The strongest risk factor in home life was little opportunity to rest from work (4.9 [3.0;8.0]). The risk factors in working life were robust to the inclusion of the grouped risk factors of home life. CONCLUSIONS: The conclusion was that risk factors related to the work system are, alone, strongly related to permanent work disability among home-care workers. Also, exposure to several of the risk factors constitutes a notably strong risk for permanent work disability.

Adult↗
PubMed2003

Computer mouse use in two different hand positions: exposure, comfort, exertion and productivity.

The aim of this study was to determine whether there are differences in exposure, comfort, exertion and productivity between a neutral and a pronated hand position when using a computer mouse. Nineteen experienced VDU workers performed a standardised text editing task with each mouse hand position. The wrist positions and movements in the working arm were registered by an electrogoniometer and the muscle activity in the shoulder, two extensors in the forearm and the first dorsal interossei (FDI) was registered by electromyography. The subjects rated perceived exertion and comfort in work with each mouse hand position. Work with the neutral hand position, compared to the pronated, gave a decreased muscle activity in the extensors of the forearm and in the FDI and a trend indicating a decrease in the frequency of deviation movements in the wrist. At the same time, the subjects showed a decreased productivity and they rated less comfort in work with the neutral hand position.

Adult↗
PubMed2003

The use of information technology among young adults--experience, attitudes and health beliefs.

The aim of this study was to explore attitudes, coherence and health beliefs among young adults, related to their use and experience of information technology (IT). A qualitative approach was used and the data were collected through individual thematised interviews with 25 young IT users, aged 18-24. The interviews were analysed in line with the grounded theory method with a constructivist approach. The main findings were the young adults' experience of the two sides of being social, efficient and independent here and now. They described almost unlimited opportunities in connection with IT, but they also had misgivings, and perceived risks regarding IT use. Feelings of freedom and being efficient were countered by feelings of restrictions on living space and of intangibility. Knowledge concerning these attitudes, coherence and health beliefs can be considered when designing epidemiological and ergonomic studies aimed at risk identification.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2003

Symptoms and clinical findings from the musculoskeletal system among operators at a call centre in Sweden--a 10-month follow-up study.

The musculoskeletal health among 57 operators at 1 call centre in Sweden was studied with 10 monthly follow-ups, parallel to a reference group of 1,226 professional computer users in other occupations. Operators at this call centre were more symptom-loaded than the other professional computer users in spite of their younger age and shorter exposure to computer work. Symptoms were long-lasting or recurrent. Muscle tenderness and nerve affections in the neck-shoulder region were the most common specific findings and diagnoses at medical examination of incident symptom cases. More extensive studies should be done on the working conditions and health status among call centre workers.

Adult↗
PubMed2003

Work technique of nurses in patient transfer tasks and associations with personal factors.

OBJECTIVES: Back disorders among nursing personnel are associated with the worktask of assisting patients during transfers. The objectives of the study were to explore the work technique applied by nursing personnel in patient transfer tasks and to determine whether different personal factors were associated with work technique safety. METHODS: The work technique used by 102 nurses to perform two common patient transfer tasks in orthopedic wards, transfer higher up in bed and transfer from bed to wheelchair, was examined with the use of video recordings and an observation instrument. A work technique score was calculated for each performed transfer. It indicated the level of musculoskeletal safety and hazard for the nurse. The participants also filled out a questionnaire concerning different personal factors. RESULTS: A variety of strategies was used by the nurses to perform the transfer tasks. Being older and suffering from low-back symptoms were factors associated with the use of poor work technique in both tasks. There was also an association between male gender and poor technique in transferring patients from bed to wheelchair. CONCLUSIONS: The results indicate an association between poor work techniques and low-back symptoms. Special attention should be paid to older nurses, nurses with low-back problems, and possibly also to male nurses when training programs on patient transfer technique are designed, as these groups seem to apply comparatively poor work techniques in patient transfer tasks.

Adult↗
PubMed2002

Clinical assessment of musculoskeletal disorders in workers exposed to hand-arm vibration.

OBJECTIVES: To describe the clinical assessment of musculoskeletal disorders among vibration-exposed workers and to review the experimental and epidemiological studies of the effects of vibration on the musculoskeletal system of the upper limbs. METHODS: A total of 212 references in English was found in Pub Med for the years 1980-2000 that dealt with clinical assessment. Many of these references were reviews and few were original research dealing with test performance in diagnostic procedures. RESULTS: The reported effects on bone are osteoporosis and cysts in the hands. Experiments have shown injuries to muscle cells in animals and additional physiological loading of muscles in humans by vibration. Low-frequency vibration exposure of high magnitude was associated with osteoarthrosis in the elbow, wrist and acromioclavicular joint and symptoms in the elbow and shoulder. Impacts, jerks and blows with high-energy transfer to the hands at low frequency might have the potential to result in musculoskeletal disorders considering the general model for injuries. Furthermore, the observed associations with vibration exposure and musculoskeletal disorders might result from the strong dynamic and static joint loading and the repetitive hand-arm motions required in tasks where hand-held machines are used. The clinical assessment of musculoskeletal disorders in workers exposed to hand-arm vibration consists of the clinical and exposure history and evaluation of the physical and laboratory findings. Since most patients with musculoskeletal disorders who are exposed to vibration are also exposed to other ergonomic stressors, accommodation of the injured worker has to take the whole work system into account (task, technology, environment and organisation). CONCLUSIONS: The scientific evidence that vibration per se is a risk factor for musculoskeletal disorders is still weak although there is strong evidence that job tasks with vibrating machines are associated with musculoskeletal disorders. The clinical assessment of musculoskeletal disorders in exposed patients imposes special requirements.

Arm↗