1. IDENTIFICATION & BASIC DESCRIPTION
Cohort name
  Study on Musculoskeletal disorders, Absenteeism, Stress and Health (SMASH)
Country
 
  • Netherlands
Name
  Swenne van den Heuvel
Institution
  TNO
Email
  swenneke.vandenheuvel@tno.nl
Name of committee
  Medical Ethical Committee of the Netherlands Organization for Applied Scientific Research (TNO)
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Contact Principal Investigator (name)
  Swenne van den Heuvel
Data access policy (briefly describe)
  Interested investigators have to ask permission and sign a form
Main aim of cohort, please briefly describe the main objectives of the cohort
  The main purpose of this study was to determine risk factors for musculoskeletal disorders, with a focus on low back, neck and shoulder disorders.
Study design (please select as many as appropriate)
 
  • Prospective cohort
Source population (please select as many as appropriate)
 
  • General population: National
  • Industry / occupation-based
Comparators (please select as many as appropriate)
 
  • Internal study population
Inclusion criteria
  34 participating companies were asked to select workers who had been employed in their current job for at least one year and who were working 24 hours per week or more.
Exclusion criteria
  another paid job for a substantial amount of time
Enrollment
  Completed
Age range at entry (main cohort)
 
Minimum Maximum Mean
18 59 35.5
Men at enrollment
  1220
Women at enrollment
  522
Children (<18 years) at enrollment
  0
Men at last follow-up
  992
Women at last follow-up
  429
Children (<18 years) at last follow-up
  0
Participation rate at enrollment (if known)
  87
2. OUTCOME FOLLOW-UP
Type of data for outcome follow-up (please select as many as appropriate)
 
  • Active (contact with participants)
Active (contact with participants) (specify)
 
  • Three yearly follow-up questionnaires
First follow-up period (provide year)
  1995
Last follow-up period (provide year)
  1997
Number of follow-ups after baseline (provide number)
  3
Participation at last follow-up (if known)
  82
3. OCCUPATIONAL EXPOSURES
Source of exposure data collected (please select as many as appropriate)
 
  • Questionnaire, Personal (Self-reporting or interview)
  • Registry-based
Occupational history/time frame
  Current, at enrollment
Occupational coding performed
  Yes
Types of exposure measurements
 
  • Workplace sampling
Methods for exposure assessment (please select as many as appropriate)
 
  • Self-report
Main categories
 
  • Ergonomics, physical workload, and injury related
  • Psychosocial domains
Ergonomics, physical workload, and injury related
 
  • Awkward work postures (e.g. kneeling/squatting, elevated arms, neck flection, back bent forward without support)
  • Physical work load (e.g. heavy lifting of people or objects, pushing/pulling)
  • Repetitive work movements
  • Sedentary work
  • Standing work
  • Work with video display units (VDU)
Psychosocial domains | Job task characteristics/organization of work
 
  • Job control, autonomy
  • Psychological job demands
  • Social support at work from supervisors
4. OUTCOMES EVALUATED
Baseline - type of outcome data collected (select more than one if applicable)
 
  • Questionnaire, individual (self-recording or interview)
  • Registry-based
Registry-based
 
  • Other
Specify: Other
  sickness absence data
Follow-up - type of outcome data collected (select more than one if applicable)
 
  • Questionnaire, individual (self-recording or interview)
  • Registry-based
Registry-based
 
  • Other
Specify: Other
  sickness absence data
Outcome type (please select as many as appropriate)
 
  • Morbidity
Other health related outcomes
 
  • Sickness absence
  • Work participation
6. Other Information
 
  • Physical exercise