| Bent double with a heavy burden on their backs, | | | | in 55 schools," says Dr. Jayaratne, whose |
| thousands of smartly-clad children will make their way | | | | research was overseen by Prof. Dulitha N. Fernando |
| to schools across the country, as the new academic | | | | of the Medical Faculty, University of Colombo. |
| year begins on Tuesday. | | | | If defects are identified, solutions could be found in the |
| For most, their uniforms, shoes, socks, water bottles | | | | next five years because these children would still be in |
| and bags will be brand new, with even the humblest of | | | | school, making this research which has been funded |
| parents borrowing money to buy their children the | | | | by the Family Health Bureau and the World Bank an |
| necessities for the school year. | | | | invaluable one. |
| But are the bags that these children will carry to | | | | The positive findings were that nearly 80% of the |
| school, more of a health hazard than a boon? | | | | children used the backpack model and 97% carried it |
| This is what Consultant Community Physician Dr. | | | | on both shoulders. However, the vital waist-belt was |
| Kapila Jayaratne who was one-time the School | | | | present only in 30% of the bags and among them only |
| Medical Officer of Narahenpita set out to find out | | | | used by 31%. |
| having heard of the "ergonomics concept" | | | | With regard to the bag weight/body weight, with the |
| that was becoming popular in the western world. | | | | international stipulated cut-off being 10%, more than half |
| Focusing his attention on "ergonomics in the | | | | the children surveyed (58%) had mismatched |
| school education environment" which has many | | | | ergonomics because the rate was over 10%. The |
| prongs, Dr. Jayaratne picked out school bags as the | | | | research showed that a majority of children take |
| first point of entry in his research as many were the | | | | ergonomically-unhealthy bags, Dr. Jayaratne pointed |
| complaints he had heard about them. This was in | | | | out. |
| 2006-07. | | | | A check of the bag contents had found that |
| "This research was a first not only in Sri Lanka | | | | textbooks comprised 37% of the weight, other books |
| but also in Asia," says Dr. Jayaratne who got the | | | | (writing books) 30% and non-book items 17.7%. The |
| support of the International Ergonomic Association and | | | | bag-weight made up the balance. |
| underwent a three-week training in the Netherlands | | | | The findings indicated that there were unhealthy |
| before embarking on the research. | | | | consequences due to school bags with 72% |
| His research was also fuelled by the fact that when | | | | perceiving discomfort due to carrying school material |
| considering the disease burden in the out-patient | | | | and 35% complaining of recurrent musculoskeletal pain. |
| departments of the government hospitals in the | | | | This may be a pointer that school bags contributed to |
| country, a majority of those who sought treatment | | | | such pain. |
| were adults with musculoskeletal pain. A quantum of | | | | Plans to ease the bag burden of schoolchildren are |
| the health budget is being spent on managing such | | | | underway with the Ministry of Education hoping to |
| patients. | | | | introduce a healthy bag in 2011. |
| "There was a need to focus on the schooling | | | | Bag problem: Putting research into action |
| generation because there is scientific evidence that | | | | Three important considerations have come about for |
| musculoskeletal pain in childhood continues into | | | | the solving of the "bag problem" faced by |
| adulthood," he says. Explaining the basic concept | | | | schoolchildren in Sri Lanka. They are: |
| of ergonomics as modifying the environment according | | | | * Introduction of a model healthy bag |
| to what the human body requires, he says it includes | | | | * Strategies for bag-weight reduction |
| adjustment of tools, equipment and environment to suit | | | | * A behavioural change among schoolchildren. |
| human characteristics. Therefore, he took the | | | | Putting research into action, several measures have |
| "school as a place of work and children as the | | | | already been taken to bring about changes in this vital |
| workers". | | | | area. |
| The ergonomic considerations in schools included the | | | | A sample bag has been manufactured locally, based |
| bag, seating/classroom furniture, IT equipment, lighting, | | | | on an ergonomically-designed healthy bag which has |
| sound and vibration and Dr. Jayaratne first picked the | | | | been shown not only to experts such as paediatricians |
| bag. | | | | and community physicians for evaluation but also |
| Under the research, problems connected with the | | | | principals, teachers and most importantly children |
| school bag were identified as the model, size, bag | | | | themselves, the Sunday Times understands. |
| features and behaviour among children with regard to | | | | A child has even suggested a small pocket to carry |
| loading/weight, packing and wearing, while the models | | | | toffees, smiles Dr. Jayaratne. |
| fell into five categories - backpack, suitcase, shoulder | | | | Meanwhile, behavioural changes among children are to |
| bag, Trolley case wholesale and hand carriage. | | | | be brought about by including a chapter in the Grade 8 |
| The research focused on school-going adolescents | | | | science textbook from next year on school bags and |
| (11-13 years old) in Grades 6, 7 and 8 in the Gampaha | | | | ergonomic behaviour while a secondary study has |
| district. "Gampaha was ideal because it has a | | | | been conducted on the strategies for bag-weight |
| mixed population -- rural and urban and also semi-rural | | | | reduction by the Ministry of Education under the |
| and semi-urban. | | | | guidance of Commissioner-General of Education |
| It is a representative sample of the country's | | | | Publications W.M.N.J. Pushpakumara. |
| school population. The sample comprised 1,607 children | | | | |