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Completed

NCT Number: NCT03507764

Evaluation of a Treadmill Workstation in an Emergency Dispatch Center

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.

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Key information

Conditions

Work-Related Condition Behavior Motor Activity

Age range

18 year and older

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Not applicable

Primary location

University Hospital Grenoble

Grenoble, France

About this study

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.

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: Yes

Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.

Inclusion criteria

  • Dispatchers working in Emergency Medical Service

Exclusion criteria

  • Pregnant women
  • Inability to walk

Treatment and study plan

Use of the treadmill workstation at work

Other

During the randomized study phase, provision of the treadmill workstation with the recommendation to use it for at least one hour (continuous or split) during each of the working shifts.

After six months, all subjects will use treadmill without restrictions or conditions.

Primary outcomes

  1. Difference of number of steps at 0 and 6 months

    Time frame: 0 and 6 months

    Number of daily steps measured by actimetry (including all walking activities measured over a day).

    Measurements will be done with actimetry during one week before the randomization and at 6 months

Secondary outcomes

  1. Evaluation of Quality of life

    Time frame: 0, 6 and 12 months

    Assessment of quality of life with the validated Short Form Health Survey assessment SF-36

  2. Evaluation of Anxiety and depression

    Time frame: 0, 6 and 12 months

    Assessment of anxiety depression with the validated Hospital Anxiety and Depression Score.

    This questionnaire helps your physician to know how the patient is feeling.

  3. Change in blood pressure

    Time frame: 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12 months

    Assessment of blood pressure every month

  4. Change in heart rate

    Time frame: 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12 months

    Assessment of heart rate every month

  5. Change in Weight

    Time frame: 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12 months

    Assessment of weight every month

  6. Assessment of musculoskeletal disorders

    Time frame: 0, 6 and 12 months

    Assessment with the validated Standardised Nordic Questionnaire

  7. Evaluation of non-attendance at work

    Time frame: 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12 months

    Number of workdays not realised during the month

  8. Job performance evaluation

    Time frame: 0, 6 and 12 months

    Assessment with the Likert scale (7-points scale) Level of Performance - 7 point 0 - Not at all performant

    • - Low performant
    • - Slightly performant
    • - Neutral
    • - Moderately performant
    • - Very performant
    • - Extremely performant

  9. Work satisfaction evaluation

    Time frame: 0, 6 and 12 months

    Assessment with the Utrecht Work Engagement Scale (7-points scale). Level of Satisfaction - 7 point 0 - Completely dissatisfied

    • - Mostly dissatisfied
    • - Somewhat dissatisfied
    • - neither satisfied or dissatisfied
    • - Somewhat satisfied
    • - Mostly satisfied
    • - Completely satisfied

  10. Assessment of sleep quality

    Time frame: 0, 6 and 12 months

    Assessment with the Pittsburgh Quality Index survey

  11. Evaluation of tobacco consumption

    Time frame: 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12 months

    Mean of packs of smoked cigarettes during the week before the evaluation. This evaluation is based on a declared and quantitative consumption.

  12. Evaluation of pickup calls quality

    Time frame: 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12 months

    Calls are evaluated according to the following criteria:

    • Presentation of the volunteer at the picked up of the call
    • Audio quality
    • Listening of the patient request
    • Empathy
    • Relevance of the call sort
    • Management of the end of communication
    • Call duration

  13. Walking period during a working day

    Time frame: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12 months

    Evaluation of walking time on the treadmill with the integrated software

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

University Hospital, Grenoble

Other

Registry information

Official study title

Evaluation of a Treadmill Workstation in an Emergency Dispatch Center. A Randomized Controlled Trial.

Acronym: Marche_15

Important dates

Study start
2018
Primary completion
2019
Study completion
2019
First posted
Apr 25, 2018
Registry last updated
Oct 7, 2021

OpenTrials presents study information sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. The official registry record should be consulted for the latest information.

View the official ClinicalTrials.gov record (opens in a new tab)

This listing is for discovery and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, does not guarantee that a study is recruiting, and does not determine eligibility. Contact the study team and a qualified healthcare professional when considering participation.

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