Measuring Psychosocial and Demographic Factors on Early Reporting of Work-Related Musculoskeletal Discomfort

Work-related musculoskeletal (WRM) discomfort is a common occurrence rarely reported early within the workplace. WRM discomfort can lead to work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSDs), which account for nearly one-third of all occupational injuries and illnesses within the United States. This study included a cross-sectional design to answer research questions pertaining to demographic and psychosocial risk factors, as independent variables, that may affect the length of time for an employee to report WRM discomfort to the workplace. The ecological model of musculoskeletal disorders, associated with participatory ergonomic principles and practices, was the theoretical base for this study. A self-designed survey and the Employee Perceptions of Participatory Ergonomics Questionnaire were used to collect data from a convenience consecutive sample size of 285 participants within a public sector office. Frequency distributions, standard deviations, Pearson's product moment correlation, and linear regression analysis were used to analyze the research questions. Significant predictive relationships were found between two psychosocial variables, self-involvement and knowledge base, and the outcome variable of length of time for an employee to report WRM discomfort to the workplace. Implications for positive social change include understanding factors related to WRM discomfort and WMSDs that can impact employment, disability status, and lasting psychological ramifications; reducing their impact can reduce financial burden to society through early reporting of WRM discomfort to the workplace.