GENDER DIFFERENCES IN THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN DAILYCOMPUTER USAGE AND MUSCULOSKELETAL SYMPTOMS AMONGUNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS

摘要

We conducted a repeated measures pilot field study on 27 undergraduate students (14 males and13 females) to investigate the relationship between daily computer usage time andmusculoskeletal symptoms. For three one-week periods during a single semester, studentsreported symptoms (outcome) 3-5 times daily while computer usage time (exposure) wasobjectively measured by a usage monitor software installed onto participants’ own computer.Generalized estimating equation (GEE) regression models tested the relationship betweenoutcome and exposure. In males, each additional hour of daily computer usage was associatedwith an increased odds ratio of reporting symptoms to 1.18 (1.05-1.34). In females, thecorresponding increased odd ratio for each additional hour of daily usage was 1.02 (0.96 to 1.08).The results also suggested a potential dose-response relationship between daily computer usagetime and musculoskeletal symptoms; however, the significance of relationship was differentbetween genders.