Short summary

Professional musicians are an highly trained occupational group with working conditions including ergonomically awkward working postures and repetitive movements, loud sound pressures, and a competitive environment and often employment uncertainty. Hence musicians are in risk of work-related health problems including musculoskeletal disorders, hearing disorders, and stress. This project investigates the health and working conditions among professional classical and non-classical musicians in Denmark.

Rationale

Professional musicians are an highly trained occupational group with working conditions including ergonomically awkward working postures and repetitive movements, loud sound pressures, and a competitive environment and often employment uncertainty. Hence musicians are in risk of work-related health problems including musculoskeletal disorders, hearing disorders, and stress. This project investigates the health and working conditions among professional classical and non-classical musicians in Denmark.

Description of the cohort

All musicians in six Danish symphony orchestras and all free-lance musicians with an unemployment insurance in the Danish Musicians' Union were asked to participate. App. 600 classical musicians and app. 600 non-classical free-lance musicians have participated.

Data and biological material

All participants filled in a questionnaire about: Their musical training since childhood, education, work, conditions for rehearsing and concerts, employment, general health conditions and more detailed on musculoskeletal problems, hearing disorders, psychosocial health, also sick leave, health examinations/treatments, leissure time activities and life style. 

Collaborating researchers and departments

Department of Clinical Immunology, Odense University Hospital

• Helene M. Paarup, MD, PhD

Department of Audiology, Odense University Hospital 

• Jesper Hvass Schmidt, MD, PhD

Department of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Odense University Hospital

• Jesper Bælum, MD, DMSc

Publications associated with the project

The first six publications are focusing on musculoskeletal disorders, psychosocial health and hearing disorders:

1. Paarup HM, Baelum J, Holm JW, Manniche C, Wedderkopp N. Prevalence and consequences of musculoskeletal symptoms in symphony orchestra musicians vary by gender: a cross-sectional study. BMC Musculoskelet Disord. 2011 Oct 7;12:223. doi: 10.1186/1471-2474-12-223.

2. Schmidt JH, Pedersen ER, Juhl PM, Christensen-Dalsgaard J, Andersen TD, Poulsen T, Bælum J. Sound exposure of symphony orchestra musicians. Ann Occup Hyg. 2011 Oct;55(8):893-905. doi: 10.1093/annhyg/mer055. Epub 2011 Aug 12.

3. Holst GJ, Paarup HM, Baelum J. A cross-sectional study of psychosocial work environment and stress in the Danish symphony orchestras. Int Arch Occup Environ Health. 2012 Aug;85(6):639-49. doi: 10.1007/s00420-011-0710-z. Epub 2011 Oct 20.

4. Paarup HM, Baelum J, Manniche C, Holm JW, Wedderkopp N. Occurrence and co-existence of localized musculoskeletal symptoms and findings in work-attending orchestra musicians - an exploratory cross-sectional study. BMC Res Notes. 2012 Oct 1;5:541. doi: 10.1186/1756-0500-5-541.

5. Schmidt JH, Pedersen ER, Paarup HM, Christensen-Dalsgaard J, Andersen T, Poulsen T, Bælum J. Hearing loss in relation to sound exposure of professional symphony orchestra musicians. Ear Hear. 2014 Jul-Aug;35(4):448-60. doi: 10.1097/AUD.0000000000000029.

6. Schmidt JH, Paarup HM, Bælum J. Tinnitus Severity Is Related to the Sound Exposure of Symphony Orchestra Musicians Independently of Hearing Impairment. Ear Hear. 2019 Jan/Feb;40(1):88-97. doi: 10.1097/AUD.0000000000000594.