title: Effect of a participatory ergonomics intervention on psychosocial factors at work in a randomised controlled trial.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To study the effect of a participatory ergonomics intervention on psychosocial factors among kitchen workers.
  
  
  METHODS
  A cluster randomised controlled trial.
  
  
  METHODS
  Four cities in Finland, 2002-2005.
  
  
  METHODS
  504 workers in 119 municipal kitchens.
  
  
  METHODS
  Kitchens were randomised to intervention (n=59) and control (n=60) groups. The intervention lasted 11-14 months and was based on the workers' active participation in work analysis, planning and implementing the ergonomic changes aimed at decreasing the physical and mental workload.
  
  
  METHODS
  Mental stress, mental strenuousness of work, hurry, job satisfaction, job control, skill discretion, co-worker relationships and supervisor support. Data were collected by questionnaire at baseline, at the end of the intervention, and at a 12-month follow-up (PI(12)).
  
  
  RESULTS
  At the end of the intervention, the OR of job dissatisfaction for the intervention group as compared with the control group was 3.0 (95% CI 1.1 to 8.5), of mental stress 2.3 (1.2 to 4.7) and of poor co-worker relationships 2.3 (1.0 to 5.2). At the PI(12), the OR of job dissatisfaction was 3.0 (1.2 to 7.8). Analysis of the independent and joint effects of the intervention and unconnected organisational reforms showed that adverse changes were accentuated among those with exposure to both.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  No favourable effects on psychosocial factors at work were found. The adverse changes were due to a joint effect of the intervention and the unconnected organisational reforms. The findings do not support the usefulness of this kind of intervention in changing unsatisfactory psychosocial working conditions.
authors.affiliation: Finnish Institute of Occupational Health, Topeliuksenkatu 41 a A, FI-00250, Helsinki, Finland. Eija.Haukka@ttl.fi
authors.forename: Eija
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Haukka
authors.forename: Irmeli
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Pehkonen
authors.forename: Päivi
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Leino-Arjas
authors.forename: Eira
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Viikari-Juntura
authors.forename: Esa-Pekka
authors.initials: EP
authors.lastname: Takala
authors.forename: Antti
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Malmivaara
authors.forename: Leila
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Hopsu
authors.forename: Pertti
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Mutanen
authors.forename: Ritva
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Ketola
authors.forename: Tuija
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Virtanen
authors.forename: Merja
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Holtari-Leino
authors.forename: Jaana
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Nykänen
authors.forename: Sari
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Stenholm
authors.forename: Anneli
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ojajärvi
authors.forename: Hilkka
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Riihimäki
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D006804:Ergonomics; D005260:Female; D005387:Finland; D005511:Food Handling; D006801:Humans; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D007588:Job Satisfaction; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000517:prevention & control*; D016272:Occupational Health; D015397:Program Evaluation; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000517:prevention & control*; D016526:Workload / Q000523:psychology; D017132:Workplace / Q000523:psychology; D055815:Young Adult