Biomedical subjects

Julia Faucett

Publications and source records attributed to Julia Faucett.

4 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2006

Rest break interventions in stoop labor tasks.

Hand cultivation and harvest of agricultural products constitute strenuous physical tasks. Working with labor-management ergonomics committees in agricultural settings, the UC Agricultural Ergonomics Research Center (AERC) tested an experimental rest and recovery protocol for its impact on symptoms and productivity during two types of work tasks. The experimental condition consisted of adding a 5 min rest break to every working hour in which there was no other scheduled break (e.g., lunchtime). This resulted in an additional 20 min of rest per workday. We tested the intervention in two trials: Trial one compared workers (n=66) randomly assigned to an experimental or a control group during the harvest of commercial strawberries. Trial two utilized a cross-over design (n=16 pairs of workers) to compare experimental and control conditions while workers inserted bud grafts into young 18'' high citrus trees. For both trials, workers under the experimental condition reported significantly less severe symptoms than workers under control conditions. The order in which the intervention was given, however, appeared to result in variations in productivity. We conclude that the introduction of frequent, brief rest breaks may improve symptoms for workers engaged in strenuous work tasks.

Adult↗

PubMed2006

The prevalence of and risk factors for back pain among home care nursing personnel in Hong Kong.

BACKGROUND: There is a large gap in research with regard to back pain (BP) among home care nursing personnel (HCNP); only seven studies have been conducted worldwide. There is a need to identify the magnitude of and risk factors for BP that are unique to Hong Kong (HK) HCNP. METHODS: A total population sampling technique was employed in this cross-sectional questionnaire-based study. Hierarchical multiple logistic regression analyses were used to control for potentially confounding variables. RESULTS: The 12-month prevalence of upper and lower BP was 71.2% (n=265). Three predictors were identified: physical risk factors in the office (OR=3.57, 95% CI=1.55-8.24), static postures (OR=1.41, 95% CI=1.04-1.90), and psychological job demands (OR=1.11, 95% CI=1.01-1.22). CONCLUSION: HCNP in HK have a high prevalence of BP. BP in HK HCNP is independently attributable to physical work factors in the office, static postures, and psychological job demands, and is not primarily associated with patient lifting and transferring which are traditionally identified as risk factors for BP in hospital nursing personnel. Am. J. Ind. Med. 49:14-22, 2006. (c) 2005 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Adult↗

PubMed2003

Chronic pain in the workplace.

Chronic pain, especially chronic back pain, is costly to workers, their families, employers, and society. Successful return to productive work life for the worker with chronic pain requires multi-disciplinary efforts, including those of the nurse case manager, occupational health nurse, and nursing specialist in pain management. Sensitivity to the dynamics of multiple stakeholders in the RTW process is essential because of their diverse perspectives. Successful RTW can be facilitated by a combination of approaches, including case management, worker capacity evaluation, ergonomic job analysis, team design of job modifications, appropriate medical treatment, and self management by the worker.

Adult↗

PubMed2002

A test of two training interventions to prevent work-related musculoskeletal disorders of the upper extremity.

We investigated, on behalf of a large electronics manufacturer, two types of worker training interventions for their efficacy in preventing unnecessary muscle tension and the symptoms of work-related musculoskeletal disorders. The first intervention, Muscle Learning Therapy (MLT), used electromyographic (sEMG) feedback and operant conditioning to decrease muscle tension during complex work tasks. The second intervention used adult learning and cognitive behavioral techniques in small group discussion to advance the worker's capabilities for symptom and stress management and problem-solving. Workers were randomly assigned to a control group or one of the two treatment conditions. Prior to training, baseline data were collected using symptom diaries and sEMG recordings of the trapezius and forearm muscles of the left and right arms. The training interventions were conducted for 6 weeks with reinforcement training provided at 18 and 32 weeks post-baseline. Follow-up data were collected after the initial 6-week training period and at 32 weeks, prior to the reinforcement training. Symptom outcomes demonstrated significant differences at 6 weeks, increasing in severity for the control group and declining modestly for the educational group, with little change for the MLT group. These differences were not maintained at further follow-up. The MLT group was consistently effective in reducing muscle tension in the trapezius areas after 6 and 32 weeks, and was partially effective for the forearms. Further testing is recommended of these training interventions, especially with the inclusion of strategic, periodic reinforcement of the worker's learning.

Adult↗