The impact of carpal tunnel syndrome on work status: Implications of job characteristics for staying on the job

This prospective study tested the contribution of occupational factors to a multifactorial predictive model of work status among patients with carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS). The study recruited a community-wide sample of patie nts and included cases that were non-occupational as well as occupational i n etiology. At baseline and follow-up 18 months later trained interviewers administered a structured telephone questionnaire to 102 participants, that included items on demographics, medical history, psychosocial, and occupat ional factors. Multivariate logistic regression analyses indicated that pat ients presenting with CTS I-here more likely to continue working if they ha d modifications to their jobs, worked for employers with fewer than 250 emp loyees, and held jobs not characterized by the frequent use of force. We al so found that White (non-Hispanic) patients were more likely to continue wo rking than those from other ethnic groups. Our findings also suggest that j ob strain may contribute to earlier changes in work status following diagno sis. The receipt of worker compensation was not found to be a significant p redictor of work statics, Workplace assessment and job modification appear to be important aspects of care for the worker presenting with CTS, regardl ess of whether the CTS is occupationally caused or not.