Evaluation of an Ecological Model for Work-Related Musculoskeletal Disorders

Work-related musculoskeletal disorder is a major occupational health problem worldwide. The ecological model by Sauter and Swanson proposes a way in which psychosocial factors can influence musculoskeletal disorders. Employing Chinn and Kramer's framework, we evaluated the ecological model and found it had a specific scope for the working populations and clear concepts. This model also demonstrated high clarity, consistency, generalizability, and accessibility aligning with a nursing metaparadigm. Empirical evidence supports the applicability of the ecological model in nursing research and practices, but more research is needed for nursing-specific application.