Does computer use pose an occupational hazard for forearm pain; from the NUDATA study.
(17/96)
AIMS: To determine the occurrence of pain conditions and disorders in the forearm and to evaluate risk factors for forearm pain in a cohort of computer workers. METHODS: A total of 6943 participants with a wide range of computer use and work tasks were studied. At baseline and at one year follow up participants completed a questionnaire. Participants with relevant forearm symptoms were offered a clinical examination. Symptom cases and clinical cases were defined on the basis of self reported pain score and palpation tenderness in the muscles of the forearm. RESULTS: The seven days prevalence of moderate to severe forearm pain was 4.3%. Sixteen of 296 symptom cases met criteria for being a clinical forearm case, and 12 had signs of potential nerve entrapment. One year incidence of reported symptom cases was 1.3%; no subjects developed new signs of nerve entrapment. Increased risk of new forearm pain was associated with use of a mouse device for more than 30 hours per week, and with keyboard use more than 15 hours per week. High job demands and time pressure at baseline were risk factors for onset of forearm pain; women had a twofold increased risk of developing forearm pain. Self reported ergonomic workplace factors at baseline did not predict future forearm pain. CONCLUSION: Intensive use of a mouse device, and to a lesser extent keyboard usage, were the main risk factors for forearm pain. The occurrence of clinical disorders was low, suggesting that computer use is not commonly associated with any severe occupational hazard to the forearm. (+info)
Effect of work with visual display units on musculo-skeletal disorders in the office environment.
(18/96)
BACKGROUND: The increase in computer and mouse use has been associated with an increased prevalence of disorders in the neck and upper extremities. Furthermore, poor workstation design has been associated with an increased risk of developing these symptoms. Aim The aims of this study were (i) to estimate the prevalence of musculo-skeletal disorders among full-time visual display unit (VDU) users; (ii) to examine how the prevalence varies by work environment; and (iii) to explore the association with work factors. METHOD: A survey was carried out on the effect of work with VDUs on musculo-skeletal disorders in workers in the office environment of 56 workplaces. Office workers (n = 298), customer service workers (n = 238) and designers (n = 247) were studied. RESULTS: For all the occupations combined, the 12 month prevalences of musculo-skeletal symptoms in the neck, shoulders, elbows, lower arms and wrists, and fingers were 63, 24, 18, 35 and 16%, respectively. The study indicated that musculo-skeletal pain is common among computer workers in offices. There was no strong association between the duration of computer work and pain or between the duration of mouse use and pain, but workers' perception of their workstation as being poor ergonomically was strongly associated with an increased prevalence of pain. CONCLUSIONS: Musculo-skeletal symptoms are common, but the duration of daily keyboard and mouse use had no connection with musculo-skeletal symptoms. Instead, more consideration should be paid to the ergonomics of workstations, the placing of the mouse, the postures of the upper extremities and the handling of the mouse. (+info)
NOSTOS: a paper-based ubiquitous computing healthcare environment to support data capture and collaboration.
(19/96)
In this paper, we present a new approach to clinical workplace computerization that departs from the window-based user interface paradigm. NOSTOS is an experimental computer-augmented work environment designed to support data capture and teamwork in an emergency room. NOSTOS combines multiple technologies, such as digital pens, walk-up displays, headsets, a smart desk, and sensors to enhance an existing paper-based practice with computer power. The physical interfaces allow clinicians to retain mobile paper-based collaborative routines and still benefit from computer technology. The requirements for the system were elicited from situated workplace studies. We discuss the advantages and disadvantages of augmenting a paper-based clinical work environment. (+info)
Wireless application for complex wound management.
(20/96)
This project was to develop a web based wireless system to be used by community care nurses. Wound care constitutes approximately one half of home health care nursing visits. The system was implemented with a digital camera and a handheld computer with a wireless connection to a web based server. A database was used to control access to the clinical cases and to serve as a data repository. When new images were uploaded to the server a wound expert was notified via pager. The images and data could be viewed from any computer with an internet connection. (+info)
A computer touch-screen version of the North American Spine Society outcome assessment instrument for the lumbar spine.
(21/96)
We validated the North American Spine Society (NASS) outcome-assessment instrument for the lumbar spine in a computerised touch-screen format and assessed patients' acceptance, taking into account previous computer experience, age and gender. Fifty consecutive patients with symptomatic and radiologically-proven degenerative disease of the lumbar spine completed both the hard copy (paper) and the computerised versions of the NASS questionnaire. Statistical analysis showed high agreement between the paper and the touch-screen computer format for both subscales (intraclass correlation coefficient 0.94, 95% confidence interval (0.90 to 0.97)) independent of computer experience, age and gender. In total, 55% of patients stated that the computer format was easier to use and 66% preferred it to the paper version (p < 0.0001 among subjects expressing a preference). Our data indicate that the touch-screen format is comparable to the paper form. It may improve follow-up in clinical practice and research by meeting patients' preferences and minimising administrative work. (+info)
Solution for nonuniformities and spatial noise in medical LCD displays by using pixel-based correction.
(22/96)
Liquid crystal displays (LCD) are rapidly replacing cathode ray tube displays (CRT) for medical imaging. LCD technology has improved significantly in the last few years and has important advantages over CRT. However, there are still some aspects of LCD that raise questions as to the usefulness of liquid crystal displays for very subtle clinical diagnosis such as mammography. One drawback of modern LCD displays is the existence of spatial noise expressed as measurable stationary differences in the behavior of individual pixels. This type of noise can be described as a random stationary image superposed on top of the medical image being displayed. It is obvious that this noise image can make subtle structures invisible or add nonexistent patterns to the medical image. In the first case, subtle abnormalities in the medical image could remain undetected, whereas in the second case, it could result into a false positive. This paper describes a method to characterize the spatial noise present in high-resolution medical displays and a technique to solve the problem. A medical display with built-in compensation for the spatial noise at pixel level was developed and improved image quality is demonstrated. (+info)
A randomised controlled trial of postural interventions for prevention of musculoskeletal symptoms among computer users.
(23/96)
AIMS: To examine the effect of two workstation and postural interventions on the incidence of musculoskeletal symptoms among computer users. METHODS: Randomised controlled trial of two distinct workstation and postural interventions (an alternate intervention and a conventional intervention) among 376 persons using computer keyboards for more than 15 hours per week. The incidence of neck/shoulder symptoms and hand/arm symptoms during six months of follow up among individuals in the intervention groups was compared to the incidence in computer users who did not receive an intervention (comparison group). For individuals in the intervention groups, study staff adjusted workstations, where possible, and trained individuals to assume the intervention postures. Individuals reported musculoskeletal symptoms in a weekly diary. Participants who reported discomfort intensity of 6 or greater on a 0-10 visual analogue scale or who reported musculoskeletal symptoms requiring use of analgesic medication were considered symptomatic. RESULTS: There were no significant differences in the incidence of musculoskeletal symptoms among the three intervention groups. Twenty two (18.5%) participants in the alternate intervention group, 25 (20.2%) in the conventional intervention group, and 25 (21.7%) in the comparison group developed incident arm or hand symptoms. Thirty eight (33.3%) participants in the alternate intervention group, 36 (31.0%) in the conventional intervention group, and 33 (30.3%) in the comparison group developed incident neck or shoulder symptoms. Compliance with all components of the intervention was attained for only 25-38% of individuals, due mainly to the inflexibility of workstation configurations. CONCLUSIONS: This study provides evidence that two specific workplace postural interventions are unlikely to reduce the risk of upper extremity musculoskeletal symptoms among computer users. (+info)
Touch-screen computer systems in the rheumatology clinic offer a reliable and user-friendly means of collecting quality-of-life and outcome data from patients with rheumatoid arthritis.
(24/96)
OBJECTIVES: To investigate the feasibility of collecting rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patient self-administered outcome data using touch-screen computers in a routine out-patient clinic. METHODS: Forty patients with RA completed the touch-screen and paper Rheumatoid Arthritis Quality of Life Questionnaire (RAQol) in the clinic and rated ease of use and preference. Forty-five others completed the Stanford Health Assessment Questionnaire (HAQ) and visual analogue scales (VASs) for pain, fatigue and global arthritis activity on touch screen and paper and a joint assessment on touch screen. They rated ease of use and willingness to complete the assessment again. Joints were independently assessed, and completion times and technical problems recorded. RESULTS: No technical problems were encountered. The touch-screen RAQol took no longer to complete, was preferred by 64% (33% had no preference) and was rated significantly higher for ease of use (two-tailed P=0.003, n=40) even by computer naive patients (two-tailed P=0.031, n=24). Intraclass correlation coefficients between methods were high for RAQol (0.986) and tender joint counts (0.918), and as high for the pain, fatigue and global activity (0.855, 0.741, 0.881) as for test-retest of the paper versions (0.865, 0.746, 0.863). Ninety-eight per cent rated the touch screen very/quite easy for HAQ and VAS, and 90% for joint assessment. Ninety-six per cent stated a willingness to complete the touch-screen assessment in clinic again. CONCLUSIONS: Touch-screen questionnaires in the clinic can produce comparable results to paper, eliminate the need for data entry and afford immediate access to results. It is an acceptable, and in many cases a preferable, option to paper, regardless of age and previous experience of computers. (+info)