Validity of self-reported duration of work postures obtained by interview

✍ Scribed by Monica Mortimer; Ewa Wigaeus Hjelm; Christina Wiktorin; Gunilla Pernold; Åsa lbom; Eva Vingård

• Book ID: 104104998
• Publisher: Elsevier Science
• Year: 1999
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 366 KB
• Volume: 30
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0003-6870
• DOI: 10.1016/s0003-6870(99)00018-6

✦ Synopsis

The aim of the study was to validate interview data concerning the duration of four work postures (1) sitting, (2) standing/walking with hands above shoulder level, (3) standing/walking with hands between shoulder and knuckle level, and (4) standing/walking with hands below knuckle level. The self-reported time spent in each posture was tested in relation to observations and technical measurements in 20 subjects during two full working days. The linear relationships between self-reports and observations were strong for the three postures; sitting (r"0.55), hands above shoulder level (r"0.58) and hands below knuckle level (r"0.69). Thus, using this interview technique, self-reports concerning time spent in (1) sitting, (2) standing/walking with hands above shoulder level and, (3) standing/walking with hands below knuckle level may be accurate enough for studying these work postures in epidemiological studies.