Consistency of hand use and accidents with injury

In this study, we examined the relationship between the consistency of hand use and the self-reported incidence of accidents with injuries which requi red medical care in groups of university students (n=23 for each group). To do this, we adopted a scoring procedure for the Briggs-Nebes Handedness Sc ale that permitted us to classify individuals as consistent or inconsistent in the use of their hands. We observed that the inconsistent group was 6.1 2 times more likely to have experienced accidents with injury that required medical care than the consistent group. These data have implications for t he literature on handedness classification and accidents. Collectively, the se limited data underscore the need to pay attention to the consistency of hand use in research on handedness, health, and longevity.