An observational study in Work-Related Musculoskeletal Disorders, Musculoskeletal Diseases and Occupational Diseases, sponsored by Sahmyook University. Not yet recruiting at 1 site in South Korea. Open to participants aged 19 Years to 65 Years. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2026-04-24.
Sponsored by Sahmyook University · Observational
The purpose of this study is to develop a multidimensional screening tool for Work-Related Musculoskeletal Disorders (WMSDs) and to evaluate its psychometric properties. The study involves a cross-sectional survey of approximately 250 workers in the bio-pharmaceutical industry to assess the tool's structural validity, internal consistency, construct validity, and measurement invariance following COSMIN guidelines.
Work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSDs) are a major occupational health issue. While various screening tools exist, few comprehensively assess red flags (signs of serious pathology), yellow flags (psychosocial risk factors), and physical symptoms specifically for industrial workers. This study aims to address this gap by developing a new screening tool and validating its reliability and validity. The study design follows the COSMIN (COnsensus-based Standards for the selection of health Measurement INstruments) checklist. The validation process involves a cross-sectional survey targeting 250 workers, including both office and production staff. The developed tool is designed to screen for serious medical conditions (Red flags) requiring referral, as well as to assess physical symptoms and psychosocial barriers (Yellow flags). Psychometric evaluation will specifically focus on the physical and psychosocial domains, as Red flags are typically binary screening items. Key psychometric properties to be evaluated include: 1. Structural Validity: Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) will be conducted to verify the factor structure of the physical and psychosocial domains. 2. Internal Consistency: Cronbach's alpha coefficients will be calculated for these subscales. 3. Measurement Invariance: Multi-group CFA will be performed to ensure the tool functions equivalently across different job types (office vs. production). 4. Construct Validity: Correlations with established instruments (e.g., OSPRO-YF, FABQ, TSK) will be analyzed. The ultimate goal is to provide a practical and scientifically validated instrument for the early detection, triage, and management of WMSDs in workplace settings. 5. Cut-off Determination: ROC analysis will be conducted to establish optimal cut-off scores for identifying high-risk groups (Yellow flags), using established tools as a reference.
The study population consists of workers currently employed at a bio-pharmaceutical company (Samsung Biologics) in South Korea. This includes both office workers engaged in VDT tasks and production workers involved in physical tasks who report musculoskeletal symptoms.
Exclusion Criteria:
Workers currently employed at Samsung Biologics, including both office and production staff, who meet the inclusion criteria for musculoskeletal symptoms.
Other: Survey Administration
Participants will complete the newly developed multidimensional screening tool and standard validation questionnaires (e.g., OSPRO-YF, FABQ, TSK) to assess musculoskeletal symptoms and psychosocial factors.
Structural Validity
Evaluated using Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA). Model fit will be assessed based on stricter criteria: CFI ≥ 0.95, TLI ≥ 0.95, RMSEA ≤ 0.06, and SRMR ≤ 0.08 (Hu \& Bentler, 1999). If model fit is insufficient, modification indices (MI) will be used to adjust the model within theoretically justifiable limits.
Time frame: Baseline
Internal Consistency
Assessed using Cronbach's alpha coefficients for each factor. A value between 0.70 and 0.90 is considered to indicate appropriate internal consistency (Tavakol \& Dennick, 2011).
Time frame: Baseline
Measurement Invariance
Evaluated using Multi-group CFA between office workers (VDT tasks) and production workers (physical tasks). Invariance is determined based on criteria such as ΔCFI ≤ 0.01 and ΔRMSEA ≤ 0.015 (Chen, 2007).
Time frame: Baseline
Construct Validity
Assessed by analyzing correlations (Pearson or Spearman) between the developed tool and standard instruments. A correlation coefficient (r) of ≥ 0.50 represents adequate convergent validity.
Time frame: Baseline
Cut-off Determination for Yellow Flags
Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) analysis will be conducted to establish optimal cut-off scores for identifying high-risk groups (Yellow flags). Established instruments (e.g., OSPRO-YF) will be used as a reference to calculate sensitivity, specificity, and the Youden index.
Time frame: Baseline
Plan to share: No — Individual participant data will not be shared to protect the privacy and confidentiality of the participants.
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Sahmyook University