ASSOCIATION OF OCCUPATIONAL AND NON-OCCUPATIONAL RISK-FACTORS WITH THE PREVALENCE OF SELF-REPORTED CARPAL-TUNNEL SYNDROME IN A NATIONAL SURVEY OF THE WORKING POPULATION

To compare the association of occupational versus personal, nonoccupat ional risk factors with the prevalence of carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) , data from the 1988 National Health Interview Survey, Occupational He alth Supplement, were analyzed. When both occupational factors (bendin g/twisting of the hands/wrists [B/T] and use of hand-held vibrating to ols) and personal nonoccupational factors (gender, race, age, body mas s index [BMI], smoking, education, and family income) were included in a multivariate logistic regression model, adjusted odds ratios (AORs) of these factors for reporting medically called CTS (MC-CTS) were: ex posure to B/T 5.5; exposure to vibration, 1.9; white race, 16.7; femal e gender 2.3; BMI greater than or equal to 25, 2.0; history of cigaret te smoking, 1.6; age greater than or equal to 40, 1.2; education >12 y ears, 1.2; and annual family income greater than or equal to$20,000, 1 .5. Although both occupational and nonoccupational factors are associa ted with reporting of CTS, repetitive bending/twisting of the hands/wr ists and use of vibrating tools remain important risk factors for work -related carpal tunnel syndrome. (C) 1997 Wiley-Liss, Inc.