Table 2.
Risk of carpal tunnel syndrome by division and major-level occupation groups, stratified by sex (2002–2020)
| Females | Males | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Occupation Group | Cases | HR (95% CI)a | Cases | HR (95% CI)a |
| Managers and administration | 77 | 0.71 (0.57–0.90) | 37 | 0.81 (0.58–1.12) |
| Natural sciences, engineering, mathematics | 24 | 0.96 (0.64–1.43) | 38 | 0.90 (0.65–1.24) |
| Social sciences and related | 88 | 0.75 (0.60–0.92) | 6 | 0.36 (0.16–0.79) |
| Teaching and related | 145 | 0.61 (0.52–0.73) | 19 | 0.74 (0.47–1.16) |
| Medicine and health | 456 | 0.88 (0.79–0.97) | 55 | 1.37 (1.05–1.79) |
| Nursing therapy | 412 | 0.90 (0.81–1.00) | 45 | 1.32 (0.98–1.78) |
| Other medicine and health | 73 | 0.96 (0.76–1.21) | 10 | 1.45 (0.78–2.70) |
| Artistic, literacy, and recreational | 25 | 0.85 (0.57–1.26) | 12 | 0.61 (0.34–1.07) |
| Clerical and related | 340 | 0.94 (0.84–1.06) | 157 | 0.91 (0.77–1.07) |
| Stenographic and typing | 33 | 1.26 (0.89–1.78) | 0 | – |
| Bookkeepers, tellers, cashiers, and other clerks | 103 | 1.03 (0.84–1.25) | 11 | 1.23 (0.68–2.22) |
| Material recording scheduling and distributing | 43 | 0.92 (0.68–1.24) | 100 | 1.05 (0.86–1.28) |
| Reception, information, mail and message distribution | 69 | 1.06 (0.83–1.35) | 26 | 0.57 (0.39–0.84) |
| Other clerical | 106 | 0.83 (0.68–1.01) | 27 | 1.01 (0.69–1.48) |
| Sales | 306 | 0.96 (0.85–1.08) | 101 | 0.72 (0.59–0.87) |
| Commodities | 293 | 0.98 (0.87–1.10) | 90 | 0.68 (0.55–0.83) |
| Other sales | 13 | 0.60 (0.35–1.04) | 12 | 1.33 (0.75–2.34) |
| Services | 690 | 1.09 (1.00–1.19) | 298 | 0.92 (0.81–1.03) |
| Protective services | 28 | 0.62 (0.42–0.89) | 61 | 0.69 (0.53–0.89) |
| Other service | 278 | 1.45 (1.28–1.64) | 171 | 1.10 (0.94–1.29) |
| Farming, horticulture, and animal husbandry | 38 | 1.12 (0.81–1.54) | 65 | 1.01 (0.79–1.30) |
| Forestry and logging | < 6 | – | 6 | 0.61 (0.27–1.36) |
| Mining and quarrying | < 6 | – | 20 | 1.57 (1.01–2.45) |
| Processing (mineral, metal, chemical) | 82 | 1.58 (1.27–1.97) | 111 | 1.12 (0.93–1.36) |
| Metal processing | 15 | 2.22 (1.33–3.68) | 49 | 1.18 (0.89–1.57) |
| Chemicals petroleum rubber plastic | 68 | 1.54 (1.21–1.96) | 56 | 1.12 (0.86–1.46) |
| Processing (food, wood, textile) | 194 | 1.91 (1.65–2.21) | 141 | 1.39 (1.17–1.65) |
| Food and beverage and related processing | 155 | 1.87 (1.59–2.20) | 85 | 1.28 (1.03–1.60) |
| Wood processing, except paper pulp | < 6 | – | 14 | 1.70 (1.00–2.87) |
| Pulp and papermaking | < 6 | – | 14 | 2.27 (1.34–3.84) |
| Textile processing | 20 | 1.89 (1.22–2.94) | 8 | 1.04 (0.52–2.09) |
| Other processing | 12 | 1.78 (1.01–3.13) | 26 | 1.53 (1.04–2.25) |
| Machining and related | 95 | 1.77 (1.44–2.17) | 287 | 1.21 (1.06–1.37) |
| Metal machining | 10 | 1.27 (0.68–2.36) | 52 | 0.88 (0.67–1.16) |
| Metal shaping and forming except machining | 72 | 1.72 (1.36–2.17) | 226 | 1.32 (1.15–1.52) |
| Wood machining | 9 | 2.84 (1.47–5.45) | 14 | 1.05 (0.62–1.78) |
| Other machining | 7 | 2.09 (0.99–4.39) | 14 | 0.96 (0.57–1.62) |
| Product fabricating, assembling, and repairing | 255 | 1.67 (1.47–1.90) | 530 | 1.49 (1.35–1.64) |
| Metal products | 109 | 1.97 (1.62–2.38) | 162 | 1.95 (1.66–2.29) |
| Mechanics and repairers except electrical | 12 | 1.31 (0.74–2.31) | 225 | 1.35 (1.17–1.55) |
| Other product fabricating assembling and repairing | 69 | 1.52 (1.19–1.93) | 86 | 1.16 (0.94–1.44) |
| Construction trades | 16 | 1.01 (0.62–1.66) | 425 | 1.32 (1.19–1.47) |
| Excavating grading paving | < 6 | – | 40 | 1.19 (0.87–1.62) |
| Other construction trades | 9 | 0.82 (0.43–1.58) | 341 | 1.38 (1.23–1.55) |
| Transport and equipment operating | 76 | 1.15 (0.92–1.45) | 314 | 1.00 (0.88–1.12) |
| Air transport operating | < 6 | – | 6 | 0.36 (0.16–0.81) |
| Motor transport operating | 30 | 1.03 (0.72–1.47) | 270 | 1.07 (0.94–1.22) |
| Other transport equipment operating | 47 | 1.40 (1.05–1.87) | 47 | 0.94 (0.71–1.26) |
| Materials handling and related | 102 | 1.26 (1.03–1.54) | 193 | 1.01 (0.87–1.17) |
| Other crafts and equipment operating | 14 | 0.95 (0.56–1.61) | 27 | 0.84 (0.58–1.24) |
Division level occupations are bolded, major level occupations are indented
Statistically significant (α = 0.05) increased risks are bolded, and statistically significant decreased risks are italicized
Abbreviations: HR hazard ratio, CI confidence interval
aA 3-year washout and a 3-year follow-up period were applied, with adjustments for birth year and age at start of follow-up