Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 2023 Feb 3;20(3):2762.
doi: 10.3390/ijerph20032762.

The Effectiveness of Workplace Musculoskeletal Injury Risk Factor Screening Tools for Reducing Injury: A Systematic Review

Richard Roberts  1 , Teri Slade  2 , Don Voaklander  1 , Sebastian Straube  3 , Liz Dennett  4 , Carol Cancelliere  5 , Christine Guptill  6 , Linda Miller  7 , Danielle Lemay  8 , Melnard De Leon  9 , Douglas P Gross  9
Affiliations

The Effectiveness of Workplace Musculoskeletal Injury Risk Factor Screening Tools for Reducing Injury: A Systematic Review

Richard Roberts et al. Int J Environ Res Public Health. .

Abstract

Introduction: Musculoskeletal injury (MSI) contributes to global health burdens. Effective MSI prevention is necessary. MSI risk factor screening tools can be used by employers to identify and mitigate occupational hazards. Rigorous synthesis of the effectiveness of these tools has not taken place. We synthesized literature on effectiveness of MSI risk factor screening tools for reducing injury through informing prevention interventions.

Materials and methods: A literature search of Medline, Embase, Cochrane Library (Trials), CINAHL, Scopus and PsycINFO databases was performed. Included studies required an analytic design, used an MSI risk factor screening tool to inform an intervention in a working-age population and reported an outcome of MSI development, injury or compensation/work absence. Data extraction and study quality rating (Downs and Black criteria) were completed. Studies were sub-categorized as having used a single MSI screening tool (single-tool) to inform an injury prevention intervention or involving multiple simultaneous screening tools (multiple-tool). Study outcomes were synthesized when possible.

Results: Eighteen articles representing fourteen studies met our inclusion criteria. No high-quality studies were identified (maximum Downs and Black score of 19). Studies did not employ previously validated tools but instead, typically, those purpose-built for a single use. The results were inconsistent both when using tools alone and in combination with other tools. Outcome measure heterogeneity precluded meaningful meta-analysis.

Conclusions: There is limited evidence regarding use of MSI risk factor screening tools for preventing injury. Rigorous studies that utilize previously validated tools are needed.

Keywords: compensation and redress; cumulative trauma disorders; disability; employment; ergonomics; insurance; musculoskeletal pain; occupational health; sick leave; workers’ compensation.

PubMed Disclaimer

Conflict of interest statement

This research is supported with a grant from WorkSafeBC (grant RS2020-SP10). Richard Roberts and Teri Slade report financial support provided from this grant. Article publishing charges were provided from this grant. Carol Cancelliere is supported by the Canadian Chiropractic Research Foundation as a Research Chair in Knowledge Translation in the Faculty of Health Sciences at Ontario Tech University. Author L.M. is employed by EWI Works and author D.L. is employed by Suncor Energy. The remaining authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Logic map showing how musculoskeletal injury (MSI) risk factor screening tools inform interventions to affect MSI-associated outcomes.
Figure 2
Figure 2
PRISMA 2020 flow diagram for new systematic reviews which included searches of databases, registers and other sources [12].
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

    1. Briggs A.M., Woolf A.D., Dreinhöfer K., Homb N., Hoy D.G., Kopansky-Giles D., Åkesson K., March L. Reducing the Global Burden of Musculoskeletal Conditions. Bull. World Health Organ. 2018;96:366–368. doi: 10.2471/BLT.17.204891. - DOI - PMC - PubMed
    1. Briggs A.M., Jordan J.E., Kopansky-Giles D., Sharma S., March L., Schneider C.H., Mishrra S., Young J.J., Slater H. The Need for Adaptable Global Guidance in Health Systems Strengthening for Musculoskeletal Health: A Qualitative Study of International Key Informants. Glob. Health Res. Policy. 2021;6:24. doi: 10.1186/s41256-021-00201-7. - DOI - PMC - PubMed
    1. Foster N.E., Anema J.R., Cherkin D., Chou R., Cohen S.P., Gross D.P., Ferreira P.H., Fritz J.M., Koes B.W., Peul W., et al. Prevention and Treatment of Low Back Pain: Evidence, Challenges, and Promising Directions. The Lancet. 2018;391:2368–2383. doi: 10.1016/S0140-6736(18)30489-6. - DOI - PubMed
    1. World Health Organization. International Labour Organization . WHO/ILO Joint Estimates of the Work-Related Burden of Disease and Injury, 2000–2016: Global Monitoring Report. World Health Organization; International Labour Organization; Geneva, Switzerland: 2021.
    1. Wilhelmus Johannes Andreas G., Johanssons E. Observational Methods for Assessing Ergonomic Risks for Work-Related Musculoskeletal Disorders. A Scoping Review. Rev. Cienc. Salud. 2018;16:8–38. doi: 10.12804/revistas.urosario.edu.co/revsalud/a.6840. - DOI

Publication types