Investigation of the validity, reliability and quality of life effects of the rapid office strain assesment (ROSA) scale in Turkish

Computer-based desk work has become one of the most prevalent forms of employment in contemporary society, accompanied by a range of ergonomic risks. These risks have the potential to negatively impact employees' quality of life and pose significant occupational health concerns. The aim of this study is to examine the Turkish validity of the Rapid Office Strain Assessment (ROSA) scale, which was developed to evaluate office ergonomics among individuals working at desks with computers, and to investigate the relationship between ergonomic risk levels and quality of life, considering sociodemographic variables. This cross-sectional and methodological study was conducted between 2024 and 2025 with 395 employees working in three public institutions in the province of Isparta, Türkiye. Within the scope of the study, ergonomic risk levels were assessed using the ROSA scale, and quality of life was measured using the EUROHIS-QOL-8 scale. The mean total quality of life score of the participants was 22.18±4.94, and the mean ROSA score was 4.80±0.78. Participants who did not have chronic diseases, were male, had no musculoskeletal complaints, had received ergonomics training, paid more attention to ergonomic working conditions, reported fewer visual problems, exercised regularly, performed stretching activities at work, and spent less time at the computer were found to have higher quality of life scores. With the increasing number of individuals working at computer-based desks, the frequency of workstation-related problems is expected to rise, potentially leading to a deterioration in quality of life. The early identification and elimination of ergonomic risks, improvement of ergonomic conditions, provision of ergonomics training, medical assessment when necessary, management of chronic conditions, and implementation of early rehabilitation may all contribute to the protection and enhancement of employees' quality of life. This study introduces the ROSA scale into the Turkish literature and aims to support the rapid identification of ergonomic risks among office workers and contribute to interventions aimed at improving their quality of life. Keywords: Ergonomics, Desk-based, ROSA, Quality of life, Office workers