title: Is There an Economic Case for Training Intervention in the Manual Material Handling Sector of Developing Countries?
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To estimate cost-effectiveness ratios and net costs of a training intervention to reduce morbidity among porters who carry loads without mechanical assistance in a developing country informal sector setting.
  
  
  METHODS
  Pre- and post-intervention survey data (n = 100) were collected in a prospective study: differences in physical/mental composite scores and pain scale scores were computed. Costs and economic benefits of the intervention were monetized with a net-cost model.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Significant changes in physical composite scores (2.5), mental composite scores (3.2), and pain scale scores (-1.0) led to cost-effectiveness ratios of $6.97, $5.41, and $17.91, respectively. Multivariate analysis showed that program adherence enhanced effectiveness. The net cost of the intervention was -$5979.00 due to a reduction in absenteeism.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Workplace ergonomic training is cost-effective and should be implemented wherein other engineering-control interventions are precluded due to infrastructural constraints.
authors.affiliation: Department of Economics (Dr Lahiri, Dr Tempesti), University of Massachusetts Lowell; Occupational Ergonomics Laboratory (Dr Gangopadhyay), Department of Physiology, University of Calcutta, Kolkata, West Bengal, India.
authors.forename: Supriya
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Lahiri
authors.forename: Tommaso
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Tempesti
authors.forename: Somnath
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Gangopadhyay
mesh_terms: D000041:Absenteeism; D000328:Adult; D003362:Cost-Benefit Analysis; D003906:Developing Countries; D006804:Ergonomics; D006293:Health Promotion / Q000191:economics / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D007194:India; D017770:Lifting; D008297:Male; D018803:Models, Economic; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D009140:Musculoskeletal Diseases / Q000191:economics / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000191:economics / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D009786:Occupational Health Services / Q000191:economics* / Q000379:methods; D060051:Occupational Injuries / Q000191:economics / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D016896:Treatment Outcome