Use of state workers' compensation data for occupational carpal tunnel syndrome surveillance: a feasibility study in Massachusetts

Details

• Personal Author:
  Christiani, David C. ; Davis LK ; Korrick SA ; Rest KM
• Description:
  The feasibility of using Massachusetts worker' compensation data for passive surveillance of occupational carpal tunnel syndrome (OCTS) was examined. Massachusetts requires all private sector and some public sector employers to maintain workers' compensation insurance coverage. Compensation claims that were active during the first half of 1989 were identified for inclusion in the study. Among the total of 2,451 claims, there were 358 cases with a carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) code attached. At the time of the study the employer's first report of injury was the only source of data concerning birth, gender, and occupation in the computerized data. The data indicated that a relatively young population was affected by OCTS. The morbidity, lost productivity, and medical costs associated with OCTS were felt to be substantial. The majority of the cases in this study, 88%, had a physician's diagnosis of CTS, and most had confirmatory nerve conduction studies or electromyography. Fundamental limitations in the data were noted including under ascertainment of cases, potential ascertainment biases, delayed case reported, limited access to specific diagnostic information, and incomplete and sometimes inaccurate information. The authors conclude that these limitations are likely to be applicable to many states and must be made clear where analyses are performed using workers' compensation data as a basis for the study. [Description provided by NIOSH]
• Subjects:
  Cumulative Trauma Disorders Demography Epidemiology Musculoskeletal Diseases Occupational Exposure Occupational Health Risk Assessment Safety
• Keywords:
  Author Keywords: Repetition Strain Injury Cumulative-trauma-disorders Demographic-characteristics Industry Musculoskeletal-system-disorders NIOSH-Cooperative-Agreement NIOSH-Publication Occupation Occupational-hazards Occupational Diseases Population Surveillance Repetitive-work Risk-analysis Workers' Compensation Data

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• ISSN:
  0271-3586
• Document Type:
  Text
• Funding:
  Cooperative Agreement
• Genre:
  Journal Article
• Place as Subject:
  Massachusetts ; OSHA Region 1
• CIO:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
• Topic:
  Workplace Safety & Health
• Location:
  North America
• Volume:
  25
• Issue:
  5
• NIOSHTIC Number:
  nn:00220541
• Citation:
  Am J Ind Med 1994 Jun; 25(5):837-850
• Federal Fiscal Year:
  1994
• NORA Priority Area:
  Disease and Injury: Musculoskeletal Disorders of the Upper Extremities
• Peer Reviewed:
  True
• Source Full Name:
  American Journal of Industrial Medicine
• Collection(s):
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:2b10a4824e0bcaa9288904046ff3375a69541c210d11b0548c682936be542a9f0ed7346077f191e90872adc3a24ce3f9ba1f47ea985d11bb0996005b9ce7bd3e
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/205849/cdc_205849_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 860.01 KB ]