Comparison of the Workplace and Equipment and Their Relationship with Musculoskeletal Disorders from the Viewpoint of Librarians at theUniversities of Medical Sciences in Tehran

Document Type : Original article

Authors

1 PhD of Knowledge & information Science. School of Rehabilitation, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran

2 PhD of knowledge and Information Science, Endocrine Research Center, Institute of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Iran University of Medical Sciences

3 Education English language. Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences. Tehran, Iran

Abstract

Background and Aim: Physical damage, due to unfavorable environmental conditions and inappropriate posture, can lead to decreased efficiency, decreased work productivity, and high costs for the individual and for the organization. Medical librarians have neuromuscular disorders that are due to prolonged sitting or carrying books or failure to observe ergonomic principles. The present present study focuses on the analysis and comparison of neuromuscular problems between librarians working at Medical universities in Tehran.
Materials and Methods: In the current descriptive and cross-sectional study, data was collected using administration of a reliable and valid questionnaire among all librarians employed at the three medical universities of Tehran, Iran, and Shahid Beheshti, all located in Tehran.
Results: The population consisted of 19.8% of men and 80.2% of women. A total of 46.6% of librarians were engaged in daily exercise, while 53.4% did not do any not exercise. Also, 24.6% of the participants had to refer to a physician because of pain and 33.3% of them used medical rest. In addition, 35.4% believed that the light at the workplace was appropriate. Most areas of the pain were related to pain in the neck, knees, and back. Most reports of pain was related to medical librarians in the medical university of Iran.
Conclusion: The older and more experienced the librarians become, the more muscular and skeletal disorders they experience. The reason can probably be due to the increase in experience. lack of appropriate mobility, and lack of aiding devices while moving the books at the workplace.
 

Keywords

Main Subjects


  1. Amel, f. Ergonomic in Libraries. Institute public Library. Khorasan razavi branch . Electronic Article .2014. available at : http://www.iranpl.ir/Portal/Home/ShowPage.aspx?Object=Paper&CategoryID=f52455a9-b85a-4f71-91b8-6383bc7954e9&WebPartID=67f75a7b-ba3a-4875-9aa4-26a82654a9d7&ID=ac5aed5d-9498-4ab1-940b-5e57ab95d3ce – (2014.30.07)##
  2. Seyyedi. S. M. The relationship between humans and the environment to achieve the best ergonomic. 2008. Available at : http://www1.jamejamonline.ir/papertext.aspx?newsnum=100938520088 (2014.30.07)##
  3. Karzar Jeddi vand. R. Ergonomics and its application. Ravesh.2002 74. P 48-54. Available at: http://www.mgtsolution.com/olib/390550245.aspx. – (2014.30.07)##
  4. Thornton, j.k, “carpal tunnel syndrome in ARL libraries", college and research libraries, 1995, p9-16.##
  5. Eltayeb Sh. et al.. Prevalence of complaints of arm, neck and shoulder among computer office worker and psychometric evaluation of risk factor questionnaire. BMC musculoskeletal disorders. 2007, 8:68 .##

 

  1. Chao, s, Chang, c, Chiang, B, “planning and implementing library ergonomics programmed; case study at Queens’s college library, the University of New York." The electronic library, 2001 vol 19, no. 5, pp 327-339.##
  2. Liang, Christine A; Levine, Vicki J. Dusza Stephen W; Hale Elizabeth K.; Nehal Kishwer S.” Musculoskeletal Disorders and Ergonomics in Dermatologic Surgery: A Survey of Mohs Surgeons in 2010. Dermatologic Surgery.2012;38( 2): 240–248##
  3. Ziaei, M., S. Izadpanah, et al. (2014). "Prevalence and risk factors of musculoskeletal disorders in inside and outside-city taxi drivers; Andisheh city." Razi Journal of Medical Sciences. 2011; 21(118): 41-50.##
  4. Alamalhodaei, M. Ergonomic study of work and work-related physical damage to computers in libraries. Master's thesis.Iran medical university. 2002.##
  5. Alizadeh.M. Study of complication and physical and mental damage from work in National Library of the Islamic Republic of Iran. Ms Thesis. Islamic Azad University. North branch. 2006 [In Persian]##
  6. Gholizadeh, N. Investigating the physical injuries of workplace among librarians of governmental universities of Isfahan based on ergonomic principles. Master's thesis. Islamic Azad University, North Tehran., 2009. [In Persian]##
  7. Nouri R, Hakimi Z, Majidfard A, Kabiri P,Aminpour F .knowledge of isfahan university of medical sciences librarians about the ergonomics principles of computer application. Health Information Management; 2011; 7(4 (16)); 459-466. [In Persian]##
  8. Mirhosseini Z, GHolizadeh N. Investigating The Physical Injuries Of Workplace Among Librarians Of Governmental Universities Of Isfahan Based On Ergonomic Principles. Journal of Epistemology (Library and Information Science and Information Technology); 2011; 3(11); 119-133. [In Persian]##
  9. Zare-Gavgani V, Rastgari F, Nazari J. Evaluation of burnout And its association with the prevalence of musculoskeletal disorders in The librarians working in public libraries.
    Picture of Health.2014; 5(2).1-6##
  10. Akrouf QA, Crawford JO, Al-Shatti AS, Kamel MI.Musculoskeletal disorders among bank office workers in Kuwait.East Mediterr Health J 2010;16(1):94-100.##
  11. Fouladi Dehghi B, Dehghan H, Ebrahimi Ghavam Abadi L. Evaluation of Exposure to Risk Factor Associated with Musculoskeletal Disorders in a House Hold goods assembling Company. 3. 2008; 16 (64) :97-105. Available at: http://journal.gums.ac.ir/browse.php?a_code=A-10-36-261&slc_lang=fa&sid=1##
  12. Aminian O, Gh P, M S. One year study of musculoskeletal disorders and their relation to occupational stress among office workers: a brief report. Tehran Univ Med J. 2012; 70 (3) :194-199. Available at: http://tumj.tums.ac.ir/browse.php?a_code=A-10-25-138&slc_lang=en&sid=1##
  13. Dehghan C, Amiri Z, Rabiee M. Prevalence of musculoskeletal pain among a group of Iranian dentists, (Tehran-1999). J Dent Sch. 2003; 21 (2) :185-192. Available at: http://jds.sbmu.ac.ir/browse.php?a_code=A-10-1-598&slc_lang=en&sid=1##
  14. Habibi E, Soury Sh, Abolghasemian M. The effect of three ergonomics intervention on work-related posture and musculoskeletal disorders in office workers (computer users) Gas Company of Isfahan. J Health Syst Res 2013; 9(10):1041-1049##
  15. Mohammadian M, Hashemi Nejad N, Rahimi Moghadam S, Amiri F. Survey of musculoskeletal disorders of midwives and its relationship with job stress. Journal of Fundamentals of Mental Health 2013; 15(3): 171-83.##
  16. Barkhordari A, Ketabi D, Mirrmohammadi S, Fallahzadeh H, Mehrparvar A. Prevalence of Work-related Musculoskeletal Disorders in Auto Parts-manufacturing Plants’ Workers. TB. 2012; 11 (1) :77-87. Available at:

http://tbj.ssu.ac.ir/browse.php?a_code=A-10-1-13&slc_lang=en&sid=1##

  1. Thornton, j.k, “carpal tunnel syndrome in ARL libraries", college and research libraries, 1995, p9-16.##
  2. Currie, C. Lyn, Laurel Ritmiller and Dan Robinson. “Taking care of ergonomics: one library’s experience”. Canadian Library Association. Paper presented at the CLA/CACUL session: Ergonomics or else. Victoria Canada, 2011. Available at: http://www.cla.ca/AM/PrinterTemplate.cfm?Section=Occasional_Paper_Series&Template=/CM/ContentDisplay.cfm&ContentID=4042. .( 08.12.2014)##
  3. Boss, r,ww , overview on ergonomics for libraries , library technology reports, 2001. pp7-17##

 

  1. Spallek M, Kuhn W, Uibel1 S, et al. Work-related musculoskeletal disorders in the automotive industry due to repetitive work - implications for rehabilitation. Journal of Occupational Medicine and Toxicology. 2010; 5:6.##
  2. O’Neill B, Forsythe ME, Stanish WD. Chronic occupational repetitive strain_injury. Can Fam Physician. 2001; 47:311-316.##
  3. Hossieni-moghaddam, sh.The position Ergonomics Position at Library factual University Field of library and information science in Tehran. Master's thesis. Islamic Azad University, North Tehran.2001. [In Persian]##
Volume 5, Issue 4
January and February 2017
Pages 206-216
  • Receive Date: 22 June 2016
  • Revise Date: 21 August 2016
  • Accept Date: 21 September 2016
  • First Publish Date: 21 December 2016