Effectiveness of Ergonomics Education on Spinal Care Awareness among 7 to 10 Years Children: A Quasi-Experimental Study

Jahani, Zahra; Kshavarz Mohammadi, Nastaran; Namdari, Mahshid; Saremi, Mahnaz

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Effectiveness of Ergonomics Education on Spinal Care Awareness among 7 to 10 Years Children: A Quasi-Experimental Study

Zahra Jahani

, Nastaran Kshavarz Mohammadi

, Mahshid Namdari

, Mahnaz Saremi ^*

Abstract: (28 Views)

Background and Objective: Although ergonomics is important for preventing musculoskeletal disorders, its education in primary schools has received limited attention. This study aimed to evaluate the impact of an educational intervention about spine care among children aged 7–10 years.

Materials and Methods: A quasi-experimental study was conducted in 2023 in two government elementary schools in Tehran. A total of 180 girl students aged 7–10 years were randomly assigned to intervention and control groups. The intervention group received instruction via a blended approach. Data were collected using the “Children’s Awareness of Spine Ergonomics” (kidSEA) questionnaire, before and one month after the intervention. The independent samples t-test, paired t-test, and ANCOVA were used to analyze the results. Data analyses were conducted using SPSS software, version 22, with a significance level of α = 0.05.

Results: The two groups were homogeneous in terms of baseline knowledge at the beginning of the study. At baseline, the mean awareness score in the control group was 8.91 ± 2.49, and in the intervention group 8.43 ± 2.98, with no statistically significant difference between the two groups (p = 0.25). After the intervention, the mean awareness score in the intervention group increased from 8.43 ± 2.98 to 12.54 ± 0.99, and this change was statistically significant based on the paired t-test (p < 0.001). In the control group, the mean score changed from 8.91 ± 2.49 to 8.95 ± 2.22, which was not statistically significant (p = 0.51).

Conclusion: Child-centered, visual, and interactive ergonomics education can effectively enhance elementary schoolchildren’s awareness about spine care and may pave the way for preventing future musculoskeletal disorders. Integrating ergonomics education into the elementary school curriculum is recommended.

Open Access Policy: This is an open access article under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits use, distribution and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. To view a copy of this license, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Keywords: Ergonomics, Spine, Child, Educational Intervention, Schools

Type of Study: Research | Subject: Health Education & Health Promotion
Received: 2025/08/1 | Accepted: 2025/12/19

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