Pilotstudie zur arbeitsmedizinischen Online- Vorsorge bei Tätigkeiten an Bildschirmgeräten

Pilot study of online occupational healthcare for workers using visual display units (VDUs) Objective: Public employees at state schools in Rhineland-Palatinate use visual display units in the course of their work. For the doctors at the Institute for Teacher Health, the question arose as to whether a medical consultation leading to appropriate occupational health interventions for workers using VDUs according to “ArbMedVV” could be held online. To test this idea, the study was to apply an orienting online eye test and evaluate it with regard to practicability and benefit. Method: School staff who had applied for special visual aids for use with VDUs were offered advice via online video consultation including an orienting online eye test. A standardised questionnaire served as an interview guide for the purposes of ascertaining medical history and for documentation. The results of the questionnaire and the orienting online eye test were managed in a database and evaluated descriptively for this paper. Results: Thirty consultations (26 online video consultations, 4 telephone consultations) were held during the evaluation period (22.12.2021 to 26.07.2022). Employees of vocational colleges were the most frequent participants (27 %). All employees reported complaints when working with screens. The combination of visual and shoulder/neck complaints was the most common complaint constellation (16 people, 53 %). In the majority of cases (70 %), the employees achieved a good to very good result in the orienting online eye test. Based on the comprehensive anamnesis and observations made during the video consultation, all persons received detailed advice and an occupational medical recommendation for special visual aids for their work with VDUs. Conclusion: Online occupational healthcare for VDU workers via online video consultations including an online eye test has proven to be practicable in the group presented here. A standardised questionnaire for anamnesis and documentation has demonstrated its worth. The orienting online eye test provided important information, especially through observating the employees during the procedure. The value of the orienting online eye test should be validated in comparison with conventional eye tests according to Occupational Medical Rule (AMR) 14.1. Keywords: occupational healthcare (ArbMedVV) – online eye test – school staff – visual display units