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. 2022 May 13;12(5):e055186.
doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2021-055186.

Influence of coexposure to long working hours and ergonomic risk factors on musculoskeletal symptoms: an interaction analysis

Jeong Woo Park  1 , Mo-Yeol Kang  2 , Jung Il Kim  1 , JongHyun Hwang  3 , Seong-Soo Choi  4 , Seong-Sik Cho  5
Affiliations

Influence of coexposure to long working hours and ergonomic risk factors on musculoskeletal symptoms: an interaction analysis

Jeong Woo Park et al. BMJ Open. .

Abstract

Objectives: This study explores the interaction between ergonomic risk factors and long working hours on musculoskeletal symptoms by additive and multiplicative scales.

Design: We used the data of the fifth Korean Working Condition Survey (KWCS). The KWCS is a cross-sectional study.

Setting: To represent the entire Korean working population, the probability proportion stratified cluster sampling method was used. The face-to-face interview was carried out with a structured questionnaire.

Main outcomes and measures: To assess the combined effect of ergonomic risk factors and long working hours on musculoskeletal symptoms, the relative excess risk due to interaction (RERI) and the ratio of ORs were calculated using multiple survey-weighted logistic analysis and postestimation commands.

Results: The OR for musculoskeletal symptoms was 1.75 (95% CI 1.28 to 1.39) for exposure to long working hours, 3.49 (95% CI 3.06 to 3.99) for exposure to ergonomic risk factors and 5.07 (95% CI 4.33 to 5.93) for coexposure to long working hours and ergonomic risk factors. The RERI was 0.82 (95% CI 0.11 to 1.53) and the ratio of ORs was 0.83 (95% CI 0.50 to 1.14) CONCLUSION: Our findings suggest that coexposure to both ergonomic risk factors and long working hours has a supra-additive interaction effect on musculoskeletal symptoms. Regulations on working hours and workplace interventions might reduce the musculoskeletal diseases of workers.

Keywords: epidemiology; musculoskeletal disorders; occupational & industrial medicine.

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Conflict of interest statement

Competing interests: None declared.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Combined effect of long working hours and ergonomic risk factors on musculoskeletal symptoms. Age, sex, education, income, employment and shift work adjusted in the model. RERI, relative excess risk due to interaction.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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