Journal of health research in community

Introduction and purpose: Musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) and computer work are common in the majority of societies and both of them are on a growing trend. This study was conducted to determine the frequency of somatic complaints, symptoms of MSDs, and awareness of employees regarding ergonomic considerations of computer use.
Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted on 128 administrative staff of medical, dental, and paramedical faculties in 2012. The samples were selected through simple random sampling. The data were obtained using a self-made questionnaire containing five open and 13 closed-ended questions. The data were analyzed using descriptive and analytical tests.
Results: The mean age of the participants was 38.16±7.78 years, 55.5% of them were female, and 63.3% had bachelor’s degree. More than 50% of the samples spent two hours or more on their computer every day. Moreover, 72% of the cases reported experiencing one or more symptoms of MSDs and less than 10% of them were aware of ergonomic considerations in this regard. A significant difference was found between MSDs and duration of using computer (P<0.05).
Conclusion: Our results indicated that more than 70% of the samples complained about MSDs, most of them were unaware of ergonomic considerations, and many of the employees were eager to learn about this issue. Therefore, workplace modifications and training on ergonomic principles to prevent MSDs are recommended.