Aging, Musculoskeletal Disorders and Work Capacity

描述（由申请人提供）：随着美国劳动力的老龄化，就业增长的最大百分比发生在55-64岁年龄组。本研究旨在评估工作场所生物力学、心理社会、组织和非工作场所因素对正常年龄相关的肌肉骨骼功能和性能变化的影响。特别强调性别的作用和识别可能面临超过年龄的风险增加的亚人群，肌肉骨骼功能和性能的预期变化。我们使用术语肌肉骨骼健康（MSH）来定义生理性能和有效功能的复合体。据估计，1200-1400名工人代表两种性别，并满足广泛的年龄人口，将在康涅狄格州的制造设施进行研究。他们的评价将包括调查个人、组织和心理社会因素的问卷;对身体表现、力量和肌肉力量的直接测量;以及仪器和观察暴露测量。混合设计中采用了横截面和纵向组件，可适应相对较短的研究时间，以及与肌肉骨骼系统相关的许多健康结果的较长时间跨度。这项研究的一个关键方面是所谓的“健康工人幸存者效应”的影响，肌肉骨骼症状和功能影响退出劳动力的程度。这是通过几个估算模型来解决的。我们亦会评估风险因素（外在及内在）对主观及客观结果分布的交互影响，并编制更广泛的MSH指数。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): With the aging of the American workforce, the largest percentage increase in employment is occurring in the 55-64 year old age group. This research is designed to assess effects of workplace biomechanical, psychosocial, organizational and non-workplace factors on normal age related changes in musculoskeletal function and performance. There are particular emphases on the role of gender and on identifying sub- populations that may be at increased risk of exceeding age expected changes in musculoskeletal function and performance. We use the term musculoskeletal health (MSH) to define the complex of physiological performance and effective function. An estimated 1200-1400 workers representing both genders, and meeting a broad age demographic, will be studied in Connecticut manufacturing facilities. Their evaluation will include questionnaires that survey individual, organizational and psychosocial factors; direct measures of physical performance, strength and muscle power; and instrumented and observed exposure measurement. There are cross-sectional and longitudinal components employed in a mixed design that accommodates the relatively short study period, and the longer time span of many health outcomes relevant to the musculoskeletal system. A key aspect of this study is the influence of the so-called "healthy worker survivor effect", the extent to which musculoskeletal symptoms and function influence withdrawal from the workforce. This is addressed through several imputative models. We will also estimate the interactive effect of risk factors (extrinsic and intrinsic) on the distribution of subjective and objective findings and undertake the compilation of broader indices of MSH.