Predictive Model Affecting the Musculoskeletal Discomfort of Occupants of State Universities in the Manila City

Abstract

This paper aims to develop a predictive model affecting the musculoskeletal discomfort of occupants of state university in Manila City. Previous studies have proved that poor physical environment is associated with ergonomic risk factors that lead to musculoskeletal disorders (MSD) ([1]. Thus, this paper intends to assess the level of musculoskeletal discomfort of occupants in state universities with regards to its current facility and workstation design by utilizing the Cornell Musculoskeletal Disorder Questionnaire (CMDQ). There are a total of 519 respondents involved in the study comprising of 294 students and 225 faculty members from three (3) selected universities in Manila City. Using ergonomic tools and survey, the researchers were able to identify factors that affect the comfortability of occupants in the state universities. The ergonomic factors considered in the study are the following: (a) environmental-factor: noise, temperature, illumination; (b) workstation design factor: classroom seat dimensions, laboratory workstation dimension, faculty workstation dimensions; (c) personal-factor: age, BMI, years of residency, sitting duration, standing duration and sitting posture. Using statistical analyses, the paper further investigates which ergonomic factors significantly influence the occupants musculoskeletal discomfort. Analysis from the 294 students showed that they experience discomfort on their lower back, upper back, hips/buttocks, neck and shoulders while results from 219 faculty members showed that they experience discomfort on their lower back, neck, upper back, hips/buttocks and lower leg. Furthermore, results showed that factors that have significant correlation to the musculoskeletal discomfort of students are sitting duration $(\mathrm{r}=-0.744;\ \mathrm{p} < 0.05)$, sitting posture (0.868; $\mathrm{p} < 0.05$), seat depth ($\mathrm{r}=0.698;\ \mathrm{p} < 0.05$) and stool height $(\mathrm{r}=-0.875;\ \mathrm{p} < 0.05)$. While factors that have significant correlation to the musculoskeletal discomfort of professors are standing duration ($\mathrm{r}=0.898;\ \mathrm{p} < 0.05$), illumination ($\mathrm{r}=0.658;\ \mathrm{p} < 0.05$); seat height ($\mathrm{r}=0.745;\ \mathrm{p} < 0.05$) and sitting posture ($\mathrm{r}=0.812;\ \mathrm{p} < 0.05$). Using regression analysis, it was further proved that true predictors of musculoskeletal discomfort of occupants are sitting posture, sitting duration, seat height, seat depth, stool height, table height and illumination. It is therefore concluded that there is a need to redesign the workstation and facilities of state universities in order to reduce the musculoskeletal discomforts of occupants.