Prevalence and risk factors for self-reported symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome among hospital office workers: a cross-sectional study

Int J Occup Saf Ergon. 2023 Jun;29(2):461-465. doi: 10.1080/10803548.2022.2054580. Epub 2022 Aug 10.

Abstract

Objectives. We aimed to determine the prevalence of self-reported symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) and associated risk factors among hospital office workers. Methods. This cross-sectional study was carried out between May and August 2021 with office workers actively working in a hospital in Izmir, Turkey. The Boston carpal tunnel syndrome questionnaire was used to evaluate the severity of self-reported CTS symptoms and their effect on the functional status of the participants. Results. The study included 151 people, 68.2% of whom were women. CTS symptoms were reported by 74.1% of the participants, the majority of whom (73.2%) were women. These reported symptoms were mild in 43%, moderate in 24.5%, severe in 5.3% and very severe in 1.3%. Significant differences were found between those with and without CTS symptoms regarding age, body mass index, previous diagnosis of CTS, daily work hours, using a wrist-supported mousepad and perceived workload (p < 0.05). Conclusion. CTS symptoms of office workers in the hospital were associated with occupational characteristics as well as individual factors. These risk factors should be taken into account while planning for future preventive and interventional measures in workplaces.

Keywords: carpal tunnel syndrome; computer use; hospital; office worker.

MeSH terms

  • Carpal Tunnel Syndrome* / epidemiology
  • Cross-Sectional Studies
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Prevalence
  • Risk Factors
  • Self Report