Effects of an OT Workstation Intervention on Knowledge, Self-efficacy, and Habit Formation

Effects of an Occupational Therapy Computer Workstation Intervention on Ergonomic Knowledge, Self-efficacy, and Habit Formation

The study aims to determine whether a face to face ergonomic workstation intervention has any advantage over an online instructional training program for acquisition of knowledge, self-efficacy, and habit formation.

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Occupational Injuries
• Intervention / Treatment: Behavioral: Ergonomic Computer Workstation Training

Detailed Description

Thirty participants will be recruited from the staff of Virginia Commonwealth University via recruitment fliers distributed through the Staff Senate. Potential participants will be informed that participation in the study will require them to work with the research team at their computer workstations outside of designated working hours, e.g., before or after work, during lunch break, or on a weekend. Potential participants will be reminded that they may need to obtain approval from direct supervisors to use university equipment, i.e., their computer workstations, during non-working hours. All participants will be asked to complete knowledge, self-efficacy, and habit formation survey regarding computer workstation ergonomics via REDCap.

Participants will receive an email with the link to the REDCap surveys.

Those participants randomly assigned to the control group will complete the OSHA Computer Workstations eTool, available at (https://www.osha.gov/SLTC/etools/computerworkstations/wkstation_enviro.html). The eTool consists of 5 sections: 1) Good Working Positions, 2) Workstation Components, 3) Checklists, 4) Work Process, and 5) Workstation Environment.

Those participants who are assigned to the intervention group will be contacted by the investigators to schedule face to face visits at their computer workstations. Face to face intervention will consist of educating the participant on points of computer workstation ergonomics, direct observation of the participant working at her/his workstation, evaluation of workstation characteristics, instruction on how to alter workstation features, and instruction on best practices for exercise and scheduling of breaks to prevent pain, discomfort, and injury.

All participants will be contacted via email 2 weeks following the interventions to complete the post-test knowledge, self-efficacy, and habit formation survey on RedCap.

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Actual): 41
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• United States
  • Virginia
    • Richmond, Virginia, United States, 23298-0008
      • Virginia Commonwealth University

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 21 years and older (Adult, Older Adult)
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Genders Eligible for Study: All

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• 21 years old or older.
• Work at computer workstation at least 30% of a typical day.

Exclusion Criteria:

-

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Health Services Research
• Allocation: Randomized
• Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
• Masking: None (Open Label)

Number of Arms

2

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
No Intervention: Control Group
Experimental: Ergonomic Computer Workstation Training	Behavioral: Ergonomic Computer Workstation Training; Training in proper body alignment and use of computer at computer workstations for people who spend 30% or more of a typical day at a computer. Training consists of learning proper positioning for head, neck, shoulders, arms, hands, and legs; proper arrangement of computer monitor, keyboard, mouse, and accessories.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Change in Knowledge, Self-efficacy, and Habit Formation Survey score	Aggregate score from survey	Pre- and Two Weeks Post-Intervention

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Virginia Commonwealth University
• Investigators: Principal Investigator: Al Copolillo, PhD, Virginia Commonwealth University

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): April 13, 2017
• Primary Completion (Actual): December 6, 2017
• Study Completion (Actual): December 6, 2017

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: April 21, 2017
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: May 30, 2017
• First Posted (Actual): June 2, 2017

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): June 14, 2018
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: June 12, 2018
• Last Verified: June 1, 2018

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: Self-efficacy; Ergonomics; Knowledge; Habit; Computer Workstation
• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Wounds and Injuries; Occupational Injuries
• Other Study ID Numbers: HM20006719

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

• Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?: NO
• IPD Plan Description: No data will be shared with other researchers.

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No