Musculoskeletal Health Program

Goals

A key leadership role for the NIOSH Musculoskeletal Health Cross-Sector Program is the development of goals for reducing and eliminating MSDs. The Program is in the process of developing goals to guide NIOSH research and partnership efforts over the next decade.

NIOSH Program Portfolio Approach

NIOSH organizes its research, guidance, information, and service efforts into specific programs that can be readily communicated and strategically governed and evaluated. Ten sector programs represent industrial sectors, and seven cross-sector programs are organized around health and safety outcomes. There are also numerous core and specialty programs that represent special emphasis areas, methodological approaches, core activities and legislatively mandated programs.

The sector programs intersect with cross-sector programs in a matrix-like fashion, with relevant core and specialty programs playing a supporting role. For example, an Agriculture, Forestry and Fishing Sector Program goal of reducing farm-related deaths and injuries due to tractor rollovers and trucks would likely be a shared goal with the Traumatic Injury Prevention Cross-Sector Program and if appropriate would be adopted by both programs. This approach provides an added advantage and will allow multiple Programs to work towards accomplishment of intersecting NIOSH goals.

Below are the current goals for the Nation developed during the second decade of the National Occupational Research Agenda (NORA):

Musculoskeletal Health Program Strategic Goals for Intramural Research

• Strategic goal 1: Identify unique sources of surveillance data to identify the areas of needed MSD research.
• Strategic goal 2: Reduce the incidence of work-related MSDs by implementing cost-effective workplace interventions to reduce MSD risk factors.
• Strategic goal 3: Reduce the incidence of work-related MSDs through widespread and targeted dissemination and communication of safety and health information and effective education and training.

Musculoskeletal Health Program Priority Goals for Extramural Research

The Musculoskeletal Health Program selected the following priority goals as particularly suited for extramural research during fiscal year 2017:

• Strategic goal 1: Identify unique sources of surveillance data to identify the areas of needed MSD research.
• Strategic goal 2: Reduce the incidence of work-related MSDs by implementing cost-effective workplace interventions to reduce MSD risk factors.
• Strategic goal 3: Reduce the incidence of work-related MSDs through widespread and targeted dissemination and communication of safety and health information and effective education and training.

Those seeking NIOSH grants to conduct studies related to the Musculoskeletal Health Program can view the current funding opportunities .