Self‐reported hand and wrist arthritis and occupation: Data from the U.S. National Health Interview Survey–Occupational Health Supplement

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Abstract
Background: There is a paucity of population‐based studies examining occupational hand‐wrist arthritis. We examined relationships between hand‐wrist arthritis, occupation, and biomechanical exposures in the U.S. National Health Interview Survey–Occupational Health Supplement.Methods: A randomized, multi‐stage, and cross‐sectional national prevalence survey was carried out.Results: Self‐reported, medically attended hand‐wrist arthritis was common among employed persons (period prevalence 1.58%; lifetime prevalence 3.58%). Highest prevalences occurred among technicians, machine operators, assemblers, and farmers, and in the mining, agriculture, and construction industries. Work requiring repetitive hand bending and twisting was associated with hand‐wrist arthritis (Odds Ratio 1.43; 95%CI: 1.11–1.84; P = 0.005). Among workers with hand arthritis, 7.4% had made major changes in their work, 7.6% missed work, and 4.5% stopped working or changed jobs because of the problem.Conclusions: Our study links hand‐wrist arthritis to occupation and potentially modifiable workplace ergonomic factors. The spectrum of hand‐wrist “cumulative trauma” disorders may considerably exceed that of soft‐tissue injuries like carpal tunnel syndrome and tendonitis, and may include arthritis, a widely prevalent, disabling condition. Am. J. Ind. Med. 42: 318–327, 2002.