Table I.
Characteristics of the study population (N=962)
| Variable | Mean | (SD) |
|---|---|---|
| Personal risk factors * | ||
| Age (years) | 30.5 | (10.3) |
| Body mass index (kg/m2) | 28.5 | (6.5) |
| n | (%) | |
| Caucasian race | 611 | (64) |
| Male gender | 624 | (65) |
| Baseline UE symptoms | 300 | (31) |
| Physical work exposures ** | n | (%) |
| Wrist bending (≥4 hours/day) | 395 | (41) |
| Forceful gripping (≥4 hours/day) | 265 | (28) |
| Lifting > 2 lbs (≥4 hours/day) | 418 | (44) |
| Vibrating tools (≥4 hours/day) | 197 | (21) |
| Psychosocial variables ** † | Mean | (SD) |
| Social support, range (8-32) | 24.6 | (3.9) |
| Job decision latitude, range (24-96) | 65.8 | (11.8) |
| Job insecurity, range (3-12) | 4.9 | (1.5) |
| Outcome variables | n | (%) |
| Prevalence symptomsa | 419 | (43.6) |
| Prevalence symptoms of moderate severityb | 267 | (27.8) |
| Incident symptomsc | 212 | (32.4) |
| Functional impairment | 190 | (19.8) |
| Limited ability to work | 121 | (12.6) |
| Decreased productivity | 83 | (8.6) |
| Lost time from work | 33 | (3.4) |
| Job restrictions | 16 | (1.7) |
| Changes in employment | 16 | (1.7) |
| Functional Status Scale (Levine) | 82 | (8.5) |
*
Data from baseline questionnaires
**
Data from 6-month follow-up questionnaires
†
Range of possible scores for each scale
a
Subjects with UE symptoms at 6 months from baseline, regardless of baseline history.
b
Subjects with prevalent UE symptoms at 6 months with symptom severity ≥5/10 on a 0-10 symptom severity scale.
c
Subjects with no history of UE symptoms at baseline, but who reported new symptoms at 6 months; N=655 (number of subjects reporting no symptoms at baseline).