Ergonomic factors of educational environments

Ergonomics is the scientific study of the people and their work. It helps in improving human performance and finds solutions to health and safety problems. The school is the largest workplace of all. Children are the “workers” there. Matched ergonomic arrangement at the place of work is essential for better human performance.

Musculoskeletal pain, general tiredness, lateral deviation of the spine and poor educational performance have been identified as key negative effects due to mismatched ergonomics in the classroom.

Feasible solutions are available to mitigate ergonomic risks. Many developed countries have contemplated on both micro and macro ergonomic preventive strategies. The classical ergonomic approach is based on the study of human characteristics and environmental parameters. This knowledge needs to be applied in the analysis and redesign of total environment.

Study
A school-based cross-sectional study was conducted in a representative district (Gampaha) to analyse the ergonomic factors of school educational environments and negative health outcomes among school children with the objective of translating findings of research into action with key stakeholders.
A sample of 1607, school children of Grade 6,7 and 8 were selected from 55 schools using stratified multi-stage cluster sampling method.
The study included 52% male and 48% female students from urban (31.7%) and rural (68.3%) schools. They carried books in backpacks (79.6%), shoulder bags (17.9%) and suitcases (2.3%). Mean weight of schoolbag was 3.72 Kg. Mean schoolbag weight/body weight was 11.04% (SD=3.88).
A bag weighing >10% of bodyweight (international cut-off) was carried by 57.9% of children. They were seated with a mean angle of 30.71 degrees (SD=19.67) and 398.04cm (SD=132.09) mean distance to blackboard with 23.3% having to turn their necks >45 degrees to see the centre of the blackboard.
A standard chair with backrest without hand-rests was used by 95.6%.Regular use of backrest was reported by 12%. An individual desk had been provided to 78.3%. Desk surface was horizontal in 84.9%. A foot-rest was present in 82% desks.
Sitting area length of chairs did not match with buttock-popliteal length of child in 87.3%. A mismatch in seat height and popliteal height was observed in 79.8% while legroom height of desk did not comply with popliteal height in 76.3%.
A larger proportion (71.2%) of children reported musculoskeletal pain with 35.9% suffering from recurrent pain while 62.8% locating pain in more than two anatomical points. Presence of mismatched seat depth-buttock-popliteal length gave rise to 1.6 time risk of developing recurrent musculoskeletal pain.
Carriage of backpack over both shoulders protected them from such pain. Seventy two percent of children perceived discomfort due to carriage of schoolbag. No correlationship was found between bag weight and pain. Moderate to severe general tiredness was reported by 62%. Only 32 (2.35%) children found to have significant lateral deviation of the spine. Academic performance or school attendance were not significantly affected.

Research findings necessitated identification of priority areas and formulation of feasible solutions with the involvement of major stakeholders. Issues related to schoolbag were recognized as major concerns. Solutions were contemplated on: strategies for bag-weight reduction, introduction of a model healthy bag and bag behaviour change. Findings were disseminated through local mass media and at international forums to share and update good practice evidence.

Crucial role
Advocacy of policy makers, including Ministers of Health and Education, played a crucial role. Sharing of research outcome and recommendations with Ministry of Education (MoE) stimulated a secondary research by MoE exploring strategies to lighten the schoolbag.
Text books were split into several volumes. Only page-80 exercise books were recommended. A healthy schoolbag was modeled by the principal investigator according to ergonomic standards. Sri Lanka Standards Institution was consulted for physical quality assurance.Bag manufacturers were registered and were educated on healthy bag.

Children, Parents and teachers were made knowledgeable through mass media, leaflets and at exhibitions on healthy bag and bag behaviour.
A schoolbag regulatory committee was established to monitor implementation of national healthy schoolbag campaign.This pioneer public health sector research work led to a successful healthy schoolbag campaign at national level in Sri Lanka.

Read more: http://www.sundayobserver.lk/2010/06/27/spe05.asp