Enter your email address
Submit
Write your message
Volume 14, Issue 1 (Iranian Journal of Ergonomics 2026)
Iran J Ergon 2026, 14(1): 29-40 |
Back to browse issues page
Ethics code: IR.AJUMS.REC.1403.087
Download citation:
BibTeX | RIS | EndNote | Medlars | ProCite | Reference Manager | RefWorks
Send citation to:
BibTeX | RIS | EndNote | Medlars | ProCite | Reference Manager | RefWorks
Send citation to:
Mohammadi A, Aghaei L, Sadeghian M, Loeloe M S. Effectiveness of an Educational–ergonomic Intervention on Psychosocial Factors, Musculoskeletal Disorders, and Productivity of Administrative Staff in the Health Network: A Quasi-Experimental Study. Iran J Ergon 2026; 14 (1) :29-40
URL: http://journal.iehfs.ir/article-1-1131-en.html
URL: http://journal.iehfs.ir/article-1-1131-en.html
1- Department of Occupational Safety and Health Engineering, School of Public Health, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran
2- Department of Occupational Safety and Health Engineering, School of Public Health, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran ,lei.aghaei@gmail.com
3- Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences, Yazd, Iran
2- Department of Occupational Safety and Health Engineering, School of Public Health, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran ,
3- Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences, Yazd, Iran
Abstract: (1739 Views)
Objectives: Office staff in health networks are exposed to adverse psychosocial factors and work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSDs) associated with improper working posture, which may reduce productivity. The present study aimed to examine the relationships between psychosocial factors and WMSDs with productivity among administrative staff of a health network and to evaluate the effectiveness of an educational–ergonomic intervention on these outcomes.
Methods: This quasi-experimental pretest–posttest study was conducted among 150 employees of the Behbahan health network in Iran. Data were collected using the Copenhagen Psychosocial Questionnaire (COPSOQ III), the Hersey and Goldsmith ACHIEVE productivity questionnaire, and the Nordic Musculoskeletal Questionnaire (NMQ). Working posture was assessed using the Rapid Office Strain Assessment (ROSA) checklist in a random subsample (n=15). A three-month educational–ergonomic intervention was delivered in small groups. Data were analyzed using SPSS (version 26), and statistical significance was set at 0.05.
Results: Overall psychosocial score was positively correlated with total productivity (r=0.633, p<0.01). The WMSDs demonstrated significant negative correlations with selected productivity dimensions (p<0.05). After the intervention, psychosocial dimensions and overall productivity improved significantly (p<0.001), with a marked increase in total productivity (2.82 to 4.03; Cohen’s d=1.51). The WMSDs decreased significantly (5.36 to 4.24; p<0.001). Moreover, no significant change was observed in the ROSA score (p=0.640).
Conclusion: The educational–ergonomic intervention improved workplace psychosocial conditions and reduced musculoskeletal complaints, thereby increasing productivity among administrative staff in the health network. In addition, it is recommended to conduct controlled studies.
Methods: This quasi-experimental pretest–posttest study was conducted among 150 employees of the Behbahan health network in Iran. Data were collected using the Copenhagen Psychosocial Questionnaire (COPSOQ III), the Hersey and Goldsmith ACHIEVE productivity questionnaire, and the Nordic Musculoskeletal Questionnaire (NMQ). Working posture was assessed using the Rapid Office Strain Assessment (ROSA) checklist in a random subsample (n=15). A three-month educational–ergonomic intervention was delivered in small groups. Data were analyzed using SPSS (version 26), and statistical significance was set at 0.05.
Results: Overall psychosocial score was positively correlated with total productivity (r=0.633, p<0.01). The WMSDs demonstrated significant negative correlations with selected productivity dimensions (p<0.05). After the intervention, psychosocial dimensions and overall productivity improved significantly (p<0.001), with a marked increase in total productivity (2.82 to 4.03; Cohen’s d=1.51). The WMSDs decreased significantly (5.36 to 4.24; p<0.001). Moreover, no significant change was observed in the ROSA score (p=0.640).
Conclusion: The educational–ergonomic intervention improved workplace psychosocial conditions and reduced musculoskeletal complaints, thereby increasing productivity among administrative staff in the health network. In addition, it is recommended to conduct controlled studies.
Keywords: Employee productivity, Ergonomics, Health, Musculoskeletal Diseases, Occupational, Workplace
Type of Study: Research |
Subject:
Cognitive Ergonomics
Received: 2025/12/21 | Accepted: 2026/03/25 | ePublished: 2026/03/25
Received: 2025/12/21 | Accepted: 2026/03/25 | ePublished: 2026/03/25
References
1. Houtman IL, Bongers PM, Smulders PG, Kompier MA. Psychosocial stressors at work and musculoskeletal problems. Scand J Work Environ Health. 1994;20(2):139-45. [DOI:10.5271/sjweh.1419] [PMID]
2. Mokarami H, Stallones L, Nazifi M, Taghavi SM. The role of psychosocial and physical work-related factors on health-related quality of life of Iranian industrial workers. Work. 2016;55(2):441-52. [DOI:10.3233/WOR-162405] [PMID]
3. Afshari D, Amini P, Jafari B, Akbari G. Investigating the relationship between psychosocial factors with productivity of a food distribution industry employees. Iran J Ergon. 2021;9(1):75-86. [DOI:10.30699/jergon.9.1.75]
4. Ibrahim MA, Aziz AA, Suhaili NA, Daud AZ, Naing L, Rahman HA. A study into psychosocial work stressors and healthcare productivity. Int J Occup Environ Med. 2019;10(4):185-93. [DOI:10.15171/ijoem.2019.1610] [PMID] [PMCID]
5. Motamedzadeh M, Jalali M, Golmohammadi R, Faradmal J, Zakeri HR, Nasiri I. Ergonomic risk factors and musculoskeletal disorders in bank staff: an interventional follow-up study in Iran. J Egypt Public Health Assoc. 2021;96(1):34. [DOI:10.1186/s42506-021-00097-8] [PMID] [PMCID]
6. Maghsoudian L. Ergonomic assessment of musculoskeletal disorders risk factors in office staff using ROSA method and its relation with efficiency. J Mil Med. 2017;19(1):31-9.
7. Okati-Aliabad H, Hashemi Habybabady R. Work-related musculoskeletal disorders and work ability among hospital employees in Southeast of Iran. Health Scope. 2024;13(4). [DOI:10.5812/healthscope-148901]
8. Sohrabi MS, Babamiri M. Effectiveness of an ergonomics training program on musculoskeletal disorders, job stress, quality of work-life and productivity in office workers: a quasi-randomized control trial study. Int J Occup Saf Ergon. 2022;28(3):1664-71. [DOI:10.1080/10803548.2021.1918930] [PMID]
9. Sobhani S, Tabanfar S, Varmazyar S. Predicting resilience of hospital nurses based on workplace psychosocial factors. J Occup Health Epidemiol. 2024;13(4):261-8. [DOI:10.61186/johe.13.4.261]
10. Besharati A, Daneshmandi H, Zareh K, Fakherpour A, Zoaktafi M. Work-related musculoskeletal problems and associated factors among office workers. Int J Occup Saf Ergon. 2020;26(3):632-8. [DOI:10.1080/10803548.2018.1501238] [PMID]
11. Morrison AK, Kumar S, Amin A, Urban M, Kleinman B, Urban MB. An ergonomic risk assessment of ophthalmology residents using the Rapid Entire Body Assessment (REBA) scale. Cureus. 2024;16(2):e53698. [DOI:10.7759/cureus.53698]
12. Zhou LL, Zhang SE, Liu J, Wang HN, Liu L, Zhou JJ, et al. Demographic factors and job characteristics associated with burnout in Chinese female nurses during controlled COVID-19 period: a cross-sectional study. Front Public Health. 2022;9:757113. [DOI:10.3389/fpubh.2021.757113] [PMID] [PMCID]
13. Sadeghi-Yarandi M. Investigating the relationship between mental workload, occupational stress and demographic factors with the prevalence of musculoskeletal disorders and its disabilities in flight security employees. J Mil Med. 2021;23(1):46-57.
14. Iskamto D. Stress and its impact on employee performance. Int J Soc Manag Stud. 2021;2(3):142-8.
15. Albeeli A, Tamrin SBM, Karuppiah K. Musculoskeletal disorders and its association with self-reported productivity: a cross-sectional study among public office-workers in Putrajaya, Malaysia. Malays J Med Health Sci. 2020;16(4).
16. Heidarimoghadam R, Mohammadfam I, Babamiri M, Soltanian AR, Khotanlou H, Sohrabi MS. Can ergonomic interventions in knowledge-based companies improve musculoskeletal disorders, alter job contents, or increase quality of work-life and productivity? A quasi-randomized control trial. J Occup Health Epidemiol. 2023;12(3):175-86. [DOI:10.61186/johe.12.3.175]
17. Wang H, Yu D, Zeng Y, Zhou T, Wang W, Liu X, et al. Quantifying the impacts of posture changes on office worker productivity: an exploratory study using effective computer interactions as a real-time indicator. BMC Public Health. 2023;23(1):2198. [DOI:10.1186/s12889-023-17100-w] [PMID] [PMCID]
18. Etemadinezhad S, Kalteh HO, Mousavinasab SN, Mohsenabadi M. Psychometric properties of the Persian version of the Copenhagen Psychosocial Questionnaire (COPSOQ III). J Occup Health Epidemiol. 2023;12(3):163-74. [DOI:10.61186/johe.12.3.163]
19. Sonne M, Villalta DL, Andrews DM. Development and evaluation of an office ergonomic risk checklist: ROSA-Rapid office strain assessment. Appl Ergon. 2012;43(1):98-108. [DOI:10.1016/j.apergo.2011.03.008] [PMID]
20. Hersey P, Goldsmith M. A situational approach to performance planning. Train Dev J. 1980;34(11):38-40.
21. Kuorinka I, Jonsson B, Kilbom A, Vinterberg H, Biering-Sørensen F, Andersson G, et al. Standardised Nordic questionnaires for the analysis of musculoskeletal symptoms. Appl Ergon. 1987;18(3):233-7. [DOI:10.1016/0003-6870(87)90010-X] [PMID]
22. Afshari D, Nourollahi-Darabad M, Chinisaz N. Psychosocial factors associated with resilience among Iranian nurses during COVID-19 outbreak. Front Public Health. 2021;9:714971. [DOI:10.3389/fpubh.2021.714971] [PMID]
23. Marzo RR, ElSherif M, Abdullah MSAMB, Thew HZ, Chong C, Soh SY, et al. Demographic and work-related factors associated with burnout, resilience, and quality of life among healthcare workers during the COVID-19 pandemic. Front Public Health. 2022;10:1021495. [DOI:10.3389/fpubh.2022.1021495] [PMID]
24. Is JM, Jihad FF. Factors affecting work productivity in health workers at Johan Pahlawan Aceh Barat Health Center in 2022. J EduHealth. 2023;14(2):974-82.
25. Khammarnia M, Tavana K, Soheili F, BagherBarahouei F, Arabborzu Z. Analysis of organizational resilience, job burnout, and productivity among employees of health system in Iran. Shiraz E Med J. 2024;26(2):e143347. [DOI:10.5812/semj-143347]
26. Behnanian B, Aminipour Z, Aparnak A, Hamdani K. Impact of psychological factors on individual productivity in the workplace. In: Proceedings of the 16th International Conference on Management and Humanities Research in Iran; 2024; Tehran, Iran.
27. Ehsan M, Ali K. The impact of work stress on employee productivity: based in the banking sector of Faisalabad, Pakistan. Int J Innov Econ Dev. 2019;4(6):32-50. [DOI:10.18775/ijied.1849-7551-7020.2015.46.2003]
28. Khorshidi Behzadi Y, Dehghan V, Aghajari Z. Relationship between musculoskeletal disorders on job performance. Compr Health Biomed Stud. 2024;2(3):e144434. [DOI:10.5812/chbs-144434]
29. Ibrahim BA, Gaafar SE. Work-related musculoskeletal complaints: risk factors and impact on work productivity among university administrative employees. J Egypt Public Health Assoc. 2024;99(1):10. [DOI:10.1186/s42506-024-00156-w] [PMID] [PMCID]
30. De Miquel C, Moneta MV, Weber S, Lorenz C, Olaya B, Haro JM. The mediating role of general and cognitive stress on the effect of an app-based intervention on productivity measures in workers: randomized controlled trial. J Med Internet Res. 2023;25:e42317. [DOI:10.2196/42317] [PMID] [PMCID]
Send email to the article author
| Rights and permissions | |
 |
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License. |
Copyright Policy
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.
