- Title
- Musculoskeletal disorders in a 3 Year longitudinal cohort of dental hygiene students
- Creator
- Hayes, Melanie J.; Smith, Derek R.; Taylor, Jane A.
- Relation
- Journal of Dental Hygiene Vol. 88, Issue 1, p. 36-41
- Relation
- http://jdh.adha.org/content/88/1.toc
- Publisher
- American Dental Hygienists' Association
- Resource Type
- journal article
- Date
- 2014
- Description
- Purpose: Musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) are a significant occupational health issue for the dental hygiene profession. There is increasing evidence that these problems commence during undergraduate training; however, there is a surprising lack of studies investigating how MSD develops in student groups over the course of their study. The aim of this study was to determine the longitudinal MSD trends among a cohort of undergraduate dental hygiene students at an Australian university. Methods: A previously validated self-reporting questionnaire was distributed to dental hygiene students in 3 consecutive years from 2008 to 2010. Results: MSDs were most commonly reported in the neck (ranging from 66 to 68%) and lower back (ranging from 61 to 68%), with a marked increase in reported lower back pain by the final year of study. Conclusion: This study not only supports mounting evidence that MSDs are a common problem for dental hygiene students, but further demonstrates the magnitude of this occupational health issue across the training program. These findings are concerning for a group yet to embark on their professional careers, given that it raises some serious questions about career longevity and the efficacy of preventive measures.
- Subject
- musculoskeletal disorders occupational health; dental hygiene; students; occupational health
- Identifier
- http://hdl.handle.net/1959.13/1304175
- Identifier
- uon:20816
- Identifier
- ISSN:1553-0205
- Language
- eng
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