Clinical trial NCT03507764: Evaluation of a Treadmill Workstation in an Emergency Dispatch Center
Official title: Evaluation of a Treadmill Workstation in an Emergency Dispatch Center. A Randomized Controlled Trial.
Study type: INTERVENTIONAL
Overall status: COMPLETED
Phase: NA
Conditions: Work-Related Condition
Keywords: Treadmills
Exercise
Number of steps
Dispatchers
Lead sponsor: University Hospital, Grenoble
Sponsor class: OTHER
First posted: 2018-04-25
Enrollment: 32
Sex: ALL
Minimum age (years): 18
Standard ages: ADULT
OLDER_ADULT
Accepts healthy volunteers: yes
Allocation: RANDOMIZED
Intervention model: PARALLEL
Primary purpose: SUPPORTIVE_CARE

Brief summary: The principal objective of this study is to determine if the provision of a treadmill workstation in an emergency medical services (EMS) dispatch center increases the number of steps that participants make daily within 6 months compared to the usual working conditions.

The investigators hypothesized that the provision of a treadmill workstation with a slow walking could increase the number of daily steps and decrease days of leave, musculoskeletal disorders without decreasing the dispatch quality.

Detailed description: Sedentariness, measured by the daily duration of time spent seated is a cardiovascular risk factor, chronic pathologies (cancer, musculoskeletal pain) and mortality.

The employees who remain seated from 8 to 11 hours per day have an increase risk of death within 3 years (15%). This increase reaches 40% for more than 11 hours a day.

The restoration of a daily moderate physical activity from 60 to 75 minutes could permit to eliminate this increased risk.

Interventions in workplace to limit sitting are associated with a metabolic benefit, but also with a reduction in musculoskeletal problems and fatigue.

The role of dispatchers is to initiate the medical record by determining the severity of the call and take rapid and adequate decision.

They are seated behind their desks from 8 to 11 hours in a busy and stressful environment.

Many dispatchers are complaining of musculoskeletal disorders and weight gain. An internal study conducted between between 2012 and 2016 showed an increase in long-term pain, irritability and sleep disorders. Overall, 65% of the respondents reported that they were tired at work and had less empathy.

The use of workstations with low-speed treadmills were assessed to allow physical activity at work.

A recent review concluded that their use reduced the time that the employees spent seated, stress and improved energy expenditure, as well as different biological and physical parameters (weight loss, lipid determination, glycaemia). This study did not reveal any alterations in performance at work.

The investigators assume that the establishment of a position allowing slow walk during dispatch call would increase the number of steps made by dispatchers on a daily basis and reduce the number of days of leave and musculoskeletal disorders, without impairing the quality of call pick-up.

Eligibility criteria: Inclusion Criteria:

* Dispatchers working in Emergency Medical Service

Exclusion Criteria:

* Pregnant women
* Inability to walk

Primary outcomes:
measure: Difference of number of steps at 0 and 6 months
timeFrame: 0 and 6 months
Secondary outcomes:
measure: Evaluation of Quality of life
timeFrame: 0, 6 and 12 months
measure: Evaluation of Anxiety and depression
timeFrame: 0, 6 and 12 months
measure: Change in blood pressure
timeFrame: 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12 months
measure: Change in heart rate
timeFrame: 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12 months
measure: Change in Weight
timeFrame: 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12 months
measure: Assessment of musculoskeletal disorders
timeFrame: 0, 6 and 12 months
measure: Evaluation of non-attendance at work
timeFrame: 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12 months
measure: Job performance evaluation
timeFrame: 0, 6 and 12 months
measure: Work satisfaction evaluation
timeFrame: 0, 6 and 12 months
measure: Assessment of sleep quality
timeFrame: 0, 6 and 12 months
measure: Evaluation of tobacco consumption
timeFrame: 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12 months
measure: Evaluation of pickup calls quality
timeFrame: 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12 months
measure: Walking period during a working day
timeFrame: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12 months
Other outcomes:
Locations:
city: Grenoble
country: France
facility: University Hospital Grenoble
Study officials:
affiliation: CHU Grenoble Alpes, SAMU38
name: Guillaume Debaty, MD, PhD
role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR
References: