A comparison of approaches to modeling the relationship between ergonomic exposures and upper extremity disorders

✍ Scribed by Laura Punnett; Allard J. van der Beek

• Publisher: John Wiley and Sons
• Year: 2000
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 151 KB
• Volume: 37
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0271-3586
• DOI: 10.1002/(sici)1097-0274(200006)37:6<645::aid-ajim9>3.0.co;2-#

✦ Synopsis

Background:

For a study of upper extremity musculoskeletal disorders among automobile manufacturing workers, an ergonomic exposure index was constructed by summing ten psychophysical (interview) items. here we explore the sensitivity of the exposure-response relationship to the formulation of that index.

Methods:

Five alternative exposure indices were constructed: three a priori weighting schemes and two sets of weights derived from multivariate regression coefficients. in addition, structural equation modeling was performed with lisrel.

Results:

The original index and a priori weighting schemes had similar associations with upper extremity disorders, adjusted for nonoccupational covariates. a reasonable model fit was achieved in lisrel after two modifications; the standardized solution showed that nonneutral postures were significantly related to upper extremity signs and symptoms.

Conclusions:

In this large population, with adequate range of exposures, the exposure-response relationship appeared generally robust to the mathematical formulation of the exposure index. among the available exposure variables, postural strain had the strongest association.