SELF-REPORTED CARPAL-TUNNEL SYNDROME - PREDICTORS OF WORK DISABILITY FROM THE NATIONAL-HEALTH INTERVIEW SURVEY OCCUPATIONAL-HEALTH SUPPLEMENT

The objective of this study was to identify risk factors for work disa bility among persons with carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS). The study was designed to analyze data from the Occupational Health Supplement of th e National Health Interview Survey, a nationwide, population-based sur vey;. Subjects included 544 survey respondents with self-report of CTS and 32,688 survey respondents without CTS, all aged 18-64 years, and with a history, of labor force participation. Measurements were as fol lows: Dependent variables were work disability defined either as cessa tion of employment without attribution of cause or, alternatively, as cessation of employment or job change specifically attributed to CTS b y the survey respondent. independent variables were ergonomic risk of work disability, defined by minutes of workplace repetitive hand and w rist bending for the most recent job held This measure was derived fro m responses categorized by an occupation and industry matrix independe nt of CTS status. Socio-demographic and health status risk factors for work disability were based on the respondent report. The main results were as follows: Among 544 persons with CTS, 58 (11%, CI 8-13%) repor ted work disability specifically attributed to CTS, representing art e stimated national prevalence of 240,578 persons with this limitation. Workplace ergonomic risk, measured as repetitive hand or wrist bending in the occupation and industry of last employment, was a significant factor predictive of CTS-attributed work disability (per 120 min of da ily exposure, OR 1.7, CI 1.1-2.6), even after taking into account soci o-demographic factors and health status. The conclusions were that wor k disability among persons with CTS is common. For those with CTS, wor king conditions characterized by repetitive bending of the hand or wri st may increase rite risk of work disability associated with this cond ition. (C) 1996 Wiley-Liss, Inc.