Association between Rapid Office Strain Assessment Scores and Musculoskeletal Symptoms among University Administrative Staff

Abstract

Work-related musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) remain a major occupational health concern among office employees, despite growing awareness of workplace ergonomics. Evidence on the relationship between workstation ergonomic risk and musculoskeletal symptoms among university administrative staff remains limited. This study evaluated ergonomic risk using the Rapid Office Strain Assessment (ROSA), determined the prevalence of musculoskeletal symptoms, and examined their associations with workstation ergonomic risk and work-related factors among administrative staff at a Malaysian public university. A cross-sectional study was conducted among 54 full-time administrative employees selected through simple random sampling. Workstation ergonomic risk was assessed using ROSA, and musculoskeletal symptoms were measured using the Cornell Musculoskeletal Discomfort Questionnaire (CMDQ). Descriptive statistics, Chi-square tests, Spearman’s rank correlation, and linear regression analyses were conducted in SPSS version 27, with statistical significance set at p < 0.05. The mean ROSA score was 2.93 ± 0.82, with 77.8% of workstations classified as low risk. Despite this, 96.3% of participants reported at least one musculoskeletal symptom, most commonly in the lower back (79.6%), neck (74.1%), and upper back (72.2%). No significant association was found between ROSA scores and MSD symptoms. Multiple regression identified years of employment (β = 0.453, p = 0.024), frequent bending (β = 4.875, p = 0.045), and arm and hand exertion (β =− 3.790, p = 0.028) as independent predictors of total symptom scores. These findings suggest that cumulative occupational exposure and work demands may contribute more substantially to musculoskeletal symptoms than workstation ergonomic risk alone. Comprehensive ergonomic interventions integrating workstation optimisation, work organisation, and ergonomic education are recommended to reduce the MSD burden and improve occupational health among university administrative staff.