A Research on The Suitability of Desk Ergonomy of a Foundation University for Anthropometric Measurements of Students and its Impact on Their Life Quality

Abstract

Purpose: Sitting for a long time is considered to be one of the most important disease risks. Therefore, individual-specific arrangements in the early period can prevent these diseases. This study was aimed to assess the suitability of school desk and chair for Turkish population with current anthropometric measurements and find out the impact of this on the same participants' life quality. Method: The students of the School of Health Science (N=153) made up the sample for this study. 14 different anthropometric measurements were taken from the participants and they were required to fill in the WHOQOL-Bref Life Quality Scale for the last month in the study. Result: Statistically no significant difference was determined in regards of general and sub-parameters of life quality points such as physical and environmental points between sample female (n=81) and male (n=72) population (p>0.05). Some fit and unfit measurements for desk dimensions were determined when anthropometric measurements of desk dimensions were analyzed minimally and maximally (5-95%) in terms of gender. Conclusion: In this study musculoskeletal disorders owing to the long term use of ergonomically unsuitable desks by determining fit and unfit measurements in desk dimensions and the effect of this on life quality are explained. Also norm values for new furniture designs were determined by calculating anthropometric measurements that must be updated termly for the continuously changing population.