Musculoskeletal DiscomfortNCT07873567
Musculoskeletal Discomfort and Ergonomic Factors in Midwifery Students
An observational study of Musculoskeletal Discomfort and Ergonomic Risk Perception, run by Mardin Artuklu University at 1 site in Turkey (Türkiye).
Trial summary
The aim of this observational study is to assess regional musculoskeletal discomfort, ergonomic risk perception, and protective ergonomic behaviors among undergraduate midwifery students at Mardin Artuklu University, Türkiye. Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 18 years and olderHealthy volunteers can take part
- Conditions the study is for
- Musculoskeletal Discomfort, Ergonomic Risk Perception, Protective Ergonomic Behaviours
- How many people
- 323 participants
- Where
- 1 siteTurkey (Türkiye)
- Study dates
- 1 Aug 2026to 25 Nov 2026
- Phase
- Observational
Key requirements
Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.
- Ages 18 years and older
- All sexes
- Healthy volunteers accepted
- Adult, Older adult
Study population: Undergraduate midwifery students aged 18 years or older enrolled in the Faculty of Health Sciences at Mardin Artuklu University, Türkiye. All eligible students across academic years will be invited to participate in the online survey. Clinical task exposure will be assessed only among students with clinical practice experience.
Who may be able to join
- Enrolled in the undergraduate midwifery program at Mardin Artuklu University.
- Aged 18 years or older.
- Able to read and understand Turkish.
- Willing to participate and provide electronic informed consent.
Who cannot join
- Incomplete responses to the main sections of the survey.
- Serious trauma, fracture, or surgery within the preceding six months that could directly affect musculoskeletal symptoms.
- A self-reported health condition preventing completion of the questionnaires.
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country. Contact the study team or a site near you to ask about taking part.
Turkey (Türkiye)1 site, 1 recruiting
- Recruiting
Mardin Artuklu University Faculty of Health Sciences
Mardin, 47000
Emrullah Alkan, PhD, +904822134002, emrullahalkan@artuklu.edu.tr
About this study
Official title: Regional Musculoskeletal Discomfort, Ergonomic Risk Perception, and Clinical Task Exposure in Midwifery Students: A Cross-Sectional Study
The aim of this observational study is to assess regional musculoskeletal discomfort, ergonomic risk perception, and protective ergonomic behaviors among undergraduate midwifery students at Mardin Artuklu University, Türkiye. The study will also examine the relationship between clinical task exposure and regional musculoskeletal discomfort among students with clinical practice experience.
Participants will complete a single online survey covering demographic and academic characteristics, musculoskeletal discomfort, ergonomic risk perception, protective ergonomic behaviors, physical activity, sleep quality, and trait anxiety. Students with clinical practice experience will additionally answer questions about their exposure to specific clinical tasks and postures. No intervention will be administered.
Read the detailed description
This cross-sectional observational study will recruit undergraduate midwifery students aged 18 years or older at Mardin Artuklu University, Türkiye. Participants will provide electronic informed consent and complete a single online survey.
Regional musculoskeletal discomfort will be assessed using the Turkish version of the Cornell Musculoskeletal Discomfort Questionnaire. Researcher-developed items will assess ergonomic risk perception and protective ergonomic behaviors. Students with clinical practice experience will additionally report their exposure to specific clinical tasks and postures during the preceding four weeks of clinical practice. Physical activity, sleep quality, and trait anxiety will be assessed using the International Physical Activity Questionnaire-Short Form, Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, and Trait Anxiety subscale of the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, respectively.
Musculoskeletal discomfort will be compared across academic years. Associations with ergonomic risk perception and protective ergonomic behaviors will be examined while accounting for academic year, body mass index, physical activity, sleep quality, and trait anxiety. Associations between clinical task exposure and regional discomfort will be explored among students with clinical practice experience.
- Conditions
- Musculoskeletal Discomfort, Ergonomic Risk Perception, Protective Ergonomic Behaviours, Clinical Task Exposure
- Keywords
- midwifery students, ergonomics, musculoskeletal discomfort, physical activity, sleep quality, anxiety
- Medical subject headings
- Motor Activity, Sleep Initiation and Maintenance Disorders, Anxiety Disorders
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| Undergraduate Midwifery Students | Undergraduate midwifery students aged 18 years or older enrolled at Mardin Artuklu University, Türkiye, who provide electronic informed consent and complete an online survey. Clinical task exposure will be assessed only among students with clinical practice experience. |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Musculoskeletal Discomfort Assessed by the Cornell Musculoskeletal Discomfort Questionnaire
The Turkish version of the Cornell Musculoskeletal Discomfort Questionnaire will be used to assess the frequency, severity, and interference with work or activities of musculoskeletal discomfort during the preceding week. Regional scores will be calculated by multiplying the frequency, severity, and interference scores, and the total score will be calculated by summing regional scores. Higher scores indicate greater musculoskeletal discomfort.
Measured: At enrollment (single assessment)
Secondary outcomes (6)
Ergonomic Risk Perception
Ten researcher-developed items will be used to assess perceived ergonomic risks associated with academic and clinical tasks and postures. Each item is rated from 0 (not risky) to 4 (very risky). The mean item score ranges from 0 to 4, with higher scores indicating greater perceived ergonomic risk. This is a study-specific descriptive index.
Measured: At enrollment (single assessment)
Protective Ergonomic Behaviours
Eight researcher-developed items will be used to assess the frequency of protective ergonomic behaviors during academic and clinical activities. Each item is rated from 0 (never) to 4 (always). The mean item score ranges from 0 to 4, with higher scores indicating more frequent protective ergonomic behaviors. This is a study-specific descriptive index.
Measured: At enrollment (single assessment)
Clinical Task Exposure
Ten researcher-developed items will be used to assess exposure to specific clinical tasks and postures during the preceding four weeks of clinical practice. Each item is rated from 0 (never) to 4 (very frequently). Item scores will be evaluated separately, with higher scores indicating more frequent exposure. This measure will be assessed only among students with clinical practice experience.
Measured: At enrollment (single assessment)
Physical Activity Level
The Turkish version of the International Physical Activity Questionnaire-Short Form will be used to assess walking, moderate-intensity activity, and vigorous-intensity activity during the preceding seven days. Total physical activity will be expressed in metabolic equivalent minutes per week (MET-min/week), with higher values indicating greater physical activity. Participants will also be classified into low, moderate, or high physical activity categories according to the scoring guidelines.
Measured: At enrollment (single assessment)
Sleep Quality
The Turkish version of the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index will be used to assess sleep quality during the preceding month. Seven component scores, each ranging from 0 to 3, will be summed to obtain a global score ranging from 0 to 21. Higher scores indicate poorer sleep quality. A global score greater than 5 indicates poor sleep quality.
Measured: At enrollment (single assessment)
Trait Anxiety Assessed by the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory
The Turkish version of the Trait Anxiety subscale of the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) will be used to assess participants' general tendency to experience anxiety. The subscale contains 20 items rated on a four-point scale. Total scores range from 20 to 80, with higher scores indicating greater trait anxiety.
Measured: At enrollment (single assessment)
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted14 Oct 2026
- Study start1 Aug 2026
- Primary completion5 Nov 2026 (estimated)
- Study completion25 Nov 2026 (estimated)
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Other trials for Musculoskeletal DiscomfortStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- What the trial phases meanHow a treatment moves from first tests in people to approval.
More details
For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.
Study design
- Study type
- Observational
- Observational model
- Other
- Time perspective
- Cross-sectional
- Enrolment
- 323 participants (estimated)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- Mardin Artuklu University
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Responsible party
- Principal investigator, Emrullah Alkan, Mardin Artuklu University
- Investigators
- Emrullah Alkan, PhD, Principal investigator, Mardin Artuklu Universityİlke Kara Öz, PhD Candidate, Principal investigator, Dokuz Eylul University
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07873567
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- EA-IK-MID-2026
- Status last verified
- Oct 2026
- First submitted
- 8 Oct 2026
- Last updated
- 14 Oct 2026
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- No
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No
- Individual data sharing
- No: There is no plan to share individual participant data. Findings will be disseminated in aggregate form through scientific publications.