title: The effect of an ergonomic intervention on musculoskeletal, psychosocial and visual strain of VDT entry work: organization and methodology of the international study.
abstract: This special issue of the International Journal of Occupational Safety and Ergonomics (JOSE) reports the results from an extensive multinational and multidisciplinary collaborative investigation of the impacts on visual display terminal (VDT) work of musculoskeletal, visual, ergonomic, and psychosocial factors. For brevity, this effort has been referred to as the MEPS project (musculoskeletal--eyestrain--psychosocial--stress). This paper lays out the basic methodological structure of the study. The study was conducted in 4 countries utilizing VDT data entry workers as the primary subject population. A battery of objective and subject assessment measures, including muscle load, visual function, physical and visual strain, postural, ergonomic and psychosocial factors, were assessed at 3 different points in time. A pre-test was given prior to an ergonomic intervention. Two post-tests were given 1 month and 1 year after the ergonomic intervention.
authors.affiliation: Center for Ergonomic Research, Miami University, Oxford, OH 45046, USA. dainofmj@muohio.edu
authors.forename: Marvin J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Dainoff
authors.forename: Arne
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Aarås
authors.forename: Gunnar
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Horgen
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Konarska
authors.forename: Stig
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Larsen
authors.forename: Magne
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Thoresen
authors.forename: Barbara G F
authors.initials: BG
authors.lastname: Cohen
mesh_terms: D016288:Computer Terminals; D004576:Electromyography / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods; D006804:Ergonomics / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007391:International Cooperation; D008297:Male; D009140:Musculoskeletal Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000523:psychology; D009664:Norway; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000523:psychology; D010808:Physical Examination; D011044:Poland; D011187:Posture; D012107:Research Design; D018582:Sick Leave; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D013223:Statistics as Topic / Q000379:methods; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013548:Sweden; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014481:United States; D014786:Vision Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000523:psychology