DASH work module in workers with hand–arm vibration syndrome

House, R.; Wills, M.; Liss, G.; Switzer-McIntyre, S.; Lander, L.; Jiang, D.

Affiliations

¹Division of Occupational and Environmental Health, Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto 155 College Street Toronto, Ontario M5T 3M7, Canada

²Department of Occupational and Environmental Health, St. Michael’s Hospital 30 Bond St Toronto, Ontario M5B 1W8, Canada

³Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, University of Toronto 160-500 University Avenue Toronto, Ontario M5G 1V7, Canada

⁴Department of Epidemiology, College of Public Health, University of Nebraska Medical Center Omaha, NE 68198-4395, USA

⁵Department of Community Health Sciences, University of Manitoba 750 Bannatyne Avenue Winnipeg, Manitoba R3E 0W3, Canada

Abstract and keywords

Background: The Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand work module (DASH-W) questionnaire has not previously been described in relation to hand–arm vibration syndrome (HAVS).

Aims: To measure work-related disability in workers with HAVS using the DASH-W questionnaire and to determine how the various components of HAVS affect the DASH-W score.

Methods: Workers with HAVS from a variety of industries were assessed over a 2-year period at the occupational health clinic, St Michael’s Hospital, Toronto. Subjects completed the DASH-W questionnaire and were assessed by an occupational physician to determine their Stockholm sensorineural and vascular stages and upper extremity pain score measured by the Borg scale, as an indication of musculoskeletal problems associated with HAVS. The average DASH-W score was compared with the average value for the US population. Multiple linear regression was used to determine the contribution of the various components of HAVS to the DASH-W score.

Results: There were 139 (134 men and 5 women) participants. The subjects with HAVS had a mean DASH-W score of 54.7 (95% CI: 50.3–59.1), which was considerably higher than the average for the US population (P < 0.001). Statistically significant HAVS variables in the multiple linear regression included the Stockholm sensorineural stage (P < 0.05) and the upper extremity pain score (P < 0.001) with the pain score having the highest partial R 2 value.

Conclusions: Workers with HAVS reported significant upper extremity work-related disability as measured by the DASH-W questionnaire, and the upper extremity pain score made the largest contribution to the DASH-W scores in these subjects.

Keywords: DASH work module; disability; HAVS

Links

DOI: 10.1093/occmed/kqs135

PubMed: 22851739

WoS: 000308385200010

History

Received: 2012-05-30

Revised: 2012-06-25

Accepted: 2012-07-02

Cited Works (2)

Year	Entry
1987	Brammer AJ, Taylor W, Lundborg G. Sensorineural stages of the hand-arm vibration syndrome. Scand J Work Environ Health. August 1987;13(4):279-283.
1987	Gemne G, Pyykkö I, Taylor W, Pelmear PL. The Stockholm Workshop scale for the classification of cold-induced Raynaud's phenomenon in the hand-arm vibration syndrome (revision of the Taylor-Pelmear scale). Scand J Work Environ Health. 1987;13(4):275-278.

Cited By (1)

Year	Entry
2017	House R, Holness L, Taraschuk I, Nisenbaum R. Infrared thermography in the hands and feet of hand-arm vibration syndrome (HAVS) cases and controls. Int J Ind Ergon. November 2017;62:70-76.