A Multi-component Intervention (NEXpro) Reduces Neck Pain-Related Work Productivity Loss: A Randomized Controlled...

Area of Science:

• Occupational Health
• Ergonomics
• Public Health Interventions

Background:

• Neck pain is a prevalent issue among office workers, significantly impacting work productivity.
• Productivity loss manifests as absenteeism and presenteeism, incurring substantial economic costs.
• Existing interventions often focus on single components, necessitating a comprehensive approach.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the efficacy of a multi-component intervention in mitigating neck pain-related work productivity loss.
• To quantify the impact on both time lost and associated monetary value among Swiss office workers.

Main Methods:

• A 12-week stepped-wedge cluster randomized controlled trial involving 120 office workers (aged 18-65).
• Intervention comprised neck exercises, health-promotion information, and workplace ergonomics.
• Work productivity loss measured using the Work Productivity and Activity Impairment Questionnaire; analyzed via generalized linear mixed-effects model.

Main Results:

• Baseline neck pain-related work productivity loss was 12% (1.2% absenteeism, 10.8% presenteeism).
• The multi-component intervention achieved a marginal predicted mean reduction of 2.8 percentage points (p=0.049).
• Estimated weekly savings of Swiss Francs 27.40 per participant were observed.

Conclusions:

• The multi-component intervention effectively reduces neck pain-related work productivity loss in office settings.
• Findings support the adoption of such interventions by employers, employees, and policymakers.
• Evidence suggests a positive return on investment through reduced productivity loss and associated costs.