Smart working during the COVID-19 pandemic: the prevalence of musculoskeletal and visual disorders in administrative staff of a large international company.

Abstract

Introduction: During the COVID-19 Pandemic, the use of digital devices during work activities has increased with important repercussions on the psychological and physical well-being of the employees. The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence of musculoskeletal and visual disorders related to the use of computers and home workstation.

Methods: The study is a cross-sectional study. A checklist, from the National Institute of Health, was administered to white collar workers of a large international pharmaceutical company based in Italy.

Results: Our study showed that postural breaks have a protective effect on neck/shoulder pain (OR 0.32, CI 0.16-0.62), back and lower extremity pain (OR 0.35, CI 0.18-0.69), and eye burning (OR 0.50, CI 0.27-0.94) of study participants.

Conclusions: The research recommends that remote employees who often change their workstations should establish a suitable work environment and obtaining enough risk training from an occupational physician. This is essential for maintaining their mental and physical well-being.