Carers' workload, musculoskeletal risk and perspectives on exoskeleton use.
Background: Caregiving activities in care homes are physically demanding tasks that often require significant physical exertion, which can contribute to musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) among carers. Back-support exoskeletons (BSEs) are wearable devices designed to assist with physical tasks, partic...
| Publicado en: | British Journal of Community Nursing Vol. 30; no. 4; pp. 168 - 175 |
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| Autores principales: | , |
| Formato: | research tables/charts Journal Article |
| Publicado: |
Mark Allen Holdings Limited
Apr2025
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| Acceso en línea: | Ver este registro en EBSCOhost |
| fields | @attributes: recordID: 1 pdfLink: plink: https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=ccm&AN=184127500&site=ehost-live header: @attributes: shortDbName: ccm uiTerm: 184127500 longDbName: CINAHL Complete uiTag: AN controlInfo: bkinfo: dissinfo: jinfo: jid: 14624753 GHA jtl: British Journal of Community Nursing issn: 14624753 maglogo: N pubinfo: dt: Apr2025 vid: 30 iid: 4 pid: 11383 pub: Mark Allen Holdings Limited artinfo: ui: 184127500 184127500 184127500 10.12968/bjcn.2024.0089 184127500 ppf: 168 ppct: 7 formats: fmt: – @attributes: type: T – @attributes: type: P tig: atl: Carers' workload, musculoskeletal risk and perspectives on exoskeleton use. aug: au: Yangsap, Achiraya Purin Fray, Mike affil: Environmental Ergonomics Research Centre, School of Design and Creative Arts, Loughborough University, Loughborough, UK sug: subj: Caregiver Burden Evaluation Workload Exoskeleton Devices Utilization Musculoskeletal Diseases Risk Factors Musculoskeletal Diseases Prevention and Control Nursing Homes Exertion Physiology Risk Assessment Program Development Program Implementation Evaluation Human Adult Female Male Pilot Studies Multimethod Studies Community Health Nursing Bathing and Baths Lifting Descriptive Statistics Questionnaires Patient Safety Task Performance and Analysis Movement Posture Adult: 19-44 years Female Male ab: Background: Caregiving activities in care homes are physically demanding tasks that often require significant physical exertion, which can contribute to musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) among carers. Back-support exoskeletons (BSEs) are wearable devices designed to assist with physical tasks, particularly manual handling activities, by providing support and reducing strain on the wearer. Aims: This study explored the characteristics of caregiving tasks and assessed the feasibility of implementing BSEs in care homes to prevent MSDs among carers. Methods: A mixed-methods approach was employed, with paper-based and online surveys. A total of 60 carers participated in the survey, providing insights into their experiences with physical demands during caregiving tasks, as well as their perceptions of BSEs. Results: The caregiving tasks identified as being the most physically demanding, involving both high physical exertion and long duration of exposure, included bathing, transferring and repositioning care recipients. Nearly half of the participants expressed their willingness to wear BSEs while performing these tasks. Conclusions: The results suggest that there is interest and potential for the adoption of BSEs in care homes, particularly for tasks that place high physical strain on carers. These devices could help prevent MSDs, improve carers' comfort and enhance the safety of both carers and care recipients. Implications for practice: The findings highlight the need for further investigation into the integration of BSEs into care home settings. This includes exploring the practical challenges and costs of implementing such devices, as well as ensuring that they meet the specific needs of carers. pubtype: Academic Journal doctype: research tables/charts Journal Article ougenre: Article language: English refInfo: holdings: @attributes: islocal: N |
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