Descriptive statistics for categorical variables at baseline for intervention and control groups
| Variable | Intervention (n=56) | Control (n=53) | p Value | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| n | Per cent | n | Per cent | ||
| Individual risk factors | |||||
| Female | 22 | 39.3 | 15 | 28.3 | 0.30 |
| Education (<2 years college) | 7 | 12.5 | 11 | 20.8 | 0.31 |
| Race (white) | 50 | 89.3 | 44 | 83.0 | 0.41 |
| Marital status (married) | 41 | 73.2 | 37 | 69.8 | 0.83 |
| Salary | |||||
| ≤$35 000 | 2 | 3.6 | 4 | 7.5 | |
| >$35 000–75 000 | 28 | 50.0 | 29 | 54.8 | |
| >$75 000 | 26 | 46.4 | 20 | 37.7 | 0.49 |
| House work (h/week) | |||||
| <3 | 13 | 23.2 | 9 | 17.0 | |
| 3–6 | 19 | 33.9 | 21 | 39.6 | |
| >6 | 24 | 42.9 | 23 | 43.4 | 0.68 |
| Child or elder care (yes) | 25 | 44.6 | 27 | 50.9 | 0.57 |
| Smoking status (yes) | 3 | 5.4 | 6 | 11.3 | 0.36 |
| Handedness (left) | 7 | 12.5 | 8 | 15.1 | 0.78 |
| Traditional mousing hand (left) | 1 | 1.8 | 3 | 5.7 | 0.35 |
| Current systemic or metabolic morbidity | 8 | 14.3 | 3 | 5.7 | 0.20 |
| Body mass index (kg/m2) | |||||
| Males ≤26=no | 41 | 73.2 | 39 | 73.6 | 0.97 |
| Females ≤24=no | 48 | 85.7 | 44 | 83.0 | 0.70 |
| Sick leave in past 8 weeks due to a musculoskeletal problem | 5 | 8.9 | 5 | 9.4 | 1.00 |
| Length of musculoskeletal pain (years) | |||||
| <1 | 6 | 10.7 | 6 | 11.3 | |
| 1 | 7 | 12.5 | 5 | 9.4 | |
| 2 | 7 | 12.5 | 6 | 11.3 | |
| >3 | 36 | 64.3 | 36 | 68.0 | 0.97 |
| Exacerbation of pain in past 4 weeks (yes) | 4 | 7.1 | 1 | 1.9 | 0.36 |
| Current herniated disc low back or neck (yes) | 4 | 7.1 | 4 | 7.5 | 1.00 |
| Seeking medical care in past 4 weeks (yes) | 9 | 16.1 | 9 | 17.0 | 1.00 |
| Active workers’ compensation claim (yes) | 0 | 0.0 | 1 | 1.9 | 0.49 |
| Currently taking any medication (yes) | 8 | 14.3 | 4 | 7.5 | 0.36 |
| Orthopedic surgery in past 5 years (yes) | 6 | 10.7 | 1 | 1.9 | 0.11 |
| Modified work ability index (WAI)* | |||||
| Unlikely or not certain | 7 | 12.5 | 3 | 5.7 | |
| Relatively certain | 49 | 87.5 | 50 | 94.3 | 0.32 |
| Daily physical activity >3 time per week for >30 min | |||||
| Yes | 33 | 58.9 | 23 | 43.4 | 0.13 |
| Trouble sleeping | |||||
| No | 53 | 94.6 | 51 | 96.2 | |
| Yes | 3 | 5.4 | 2 | 3.8 | 1.00 |
| Department/job title | |||||
| Department | |||||
| Caucus (political party affiliation) | 30 | 56.6 | 33 | 58.9 | |
| Technical branch | 13 | 24.5 | 10 | 17.9 | |
| Management | 13 | 24.5 | 10 | 17.9 | 0.70 |
| Job title | |||||
| Assistant | 21 | 37.5 | 23 | 43.4 | |
| Director | 14 | 25.0 | 12 | 22.6 | |
| Analyst | 6 | 10.7 | 7 | 13.2 | |
| Other | 15 | 26.8 | 11 | 20.8 | 0.84 |
| Mechanical/temporal loads | |||||
| Upper extremity (UE) support (yes) | 41 | 73.2 | 35 | 66.0 | 0.89 |
| Wrist bend or twist (yes) | 42 | 75.0 | 42 | 79.2 | 0.70 |
| High finger effort (yes) | 40 | 71.4 | 41 | 77.4 | 0.90 |
| Hold neck and UE in static posture (yes) | 50 | 89.3 | 48 | 90.6 | 0.80 |
| Deadline (yes) | 50 | 89.3 | 51 | 96.2 | 0.14 |
| Overtime (yes) | 32 | 57.1 | 25 | 47.2 | 0.51 |
| Hold object by pinching (yes) | 35 | 62.5 | 28 | 52.8 | 0.13 |
| Daily break time (min) | |||||
| 30 | 28 | 50.0 | 21 | 39.6 | |
| 60 | 22 | 39.3 | 27 | 51.0 | |
| 90 | 6 | 10.7 | 5 | 9.4 | 0.58 |
| Other than computer, repetitive work (yes) | 18 | 32.1 | 20 | 37.7 | 0.60 |
| Work multiple jobs using computer (yes) | 10 | 17.9 | 8 | 15.1 | 0.80 |
| Weekly time spent on home computer use (h) | |||||
| 0–3 | 23 | 41.0 | 26 | 49.0 | |
| 3–6 | 10 | 17.9 | 9 | 17.0 | |
| >6 | 23 | 41.1 | 18 | 34.0 | 0.69 |
| Weekly time spent on personal digital assistant or cell phone (h) | |||||
| 0–3 | 37 | 66.1 | 39 | 73.6 | |
| 3–6 | 8 | 14.3 | 3 | 5.7 | |
| >6 | 11 | 19.6 | 11 | 20.7 | 0.69 |
| Ergonomic knowledge (none or little) | |||||
| Overall ergonomic knowledge | 46 | 82.1 | 45 | 84.9 | 0.70 |
| Risk factors | 50 | 89.3 | 46 | 86.8 | 0.69 |
| Ergonomically correct posture | 48 | 85.7 | 44 | 83.0 | 0.70 |
| Ergonomically correct workspace | 51 | 91.2 | 45 | 84.9 | 0.32 |
| Psychosocial exposures | |||||
| Supervisor support (low)† | 40 | 71.4 | 43 | 81.1 | 0.88 |
| Job satisfaction | |||||
| Somewhat or very satisfied (yes) | 46 | 82.7 | 46 | 86.8 | 0.84 |
*WAI: Modified question that asked about the individual's ability to perform the job two years from now.
†JCQ, Job Content Questionnaire.