Musculoskeletal and visual symptoms among undergraduate students: Individual and computer-use-related risk factors and interference with academic performance

- Undergraduate studentś musculoskeletal and visual symptoms were explored.
- They both prevail and interfere with ability to perform academic activities.
- Eyes, neck, upper back and lower back were the main problematic body parts.
- Risk factors were being female and non-engineering academic concentration.
- Years of PC use, daily PC use >4 h and visual discomfort were other risk factors.

This study explored the prevalence and academic performance interference (API) of musculoskeletal symptoms (MS) and visual discomfort (VD), and investigated the associations of individual and computer-use-related risk factors with MS and VD among a group of university undergraduate students. The study involved first application of Student-Specific Cornell Musculoskeletal Questionnaire (SS-CMDQ) as a new tool to collect symptom data among student population. MS was found to prevail and interfere with ability to perform academic activities mostly in the neck, upper back and lower back with prevalence rates of 69.8%, 61.8% and 55.1%, respectively; and with API rates of 20.2%, 20.2% and 16.9%, respectively. The prevalence and API rates of VD were 62.9% and 33.7%, respectively. Among the investigated factors, being female, non-engineering academic concentration, years of computer use, daily computer use more than 4 h and experiencing visual discomfort during computer use were the significant risk factors.Relevance to industryStudents are prospective members of the computer work force. Taking proactive measures against musculoskeletal symptoms and visual discomfort will ensure a healthy and productive workforce in the future.