This multi-center prospective cohort study will: (i) Determine baseline prevalence rates and subsequent incidence rates over a 3 year period for specific distal upper extremity disorders and symptoms for 3 levels of job physical exposures (low, medium, high), (ii) Quantify job and individual risk factors (e.g., force, posture, repetition, etc.), (iii) Validate existing job analysis methods (especially American Conference of Governmental Hygienists (ACGIH) Threshold Limit Value (TLV) for Hand Activity (HAL), Strain Index (SI) and Washington State Checklist), and (iv) develop a final model for determining MSD risks. A cohort of 600 workers (study drop-outs replaced) from 5 very different industries with a total worker population of over 10,000 in two diverse states will participate in the study to help ensure generalizability of the study results. ? ? To maximize objectivity and accuracy, job physical exposures will rely primarily on measurements to quantify exposures. To maximize clinical and epidemiological validity and reliability, all participants will have health outcomes assessments by Certified Hand Therapists and qualified physicians. These will include: baseline questionnaires, structured interviews and standardized physical examinations. Changes in job physical exposures will be monitored monthly. Specific disorders and symptoms will be assessed monthly using a symptom questionnaire on all, and structured interviews/physical examinations on those with symptoms. Senior physicians experienced in evaluating worker populations will provide electrodiagnostic testing (at baseline, and during monthly follow-up if new symptoms develop) to those workers with CTS-like symptoms. Job physical exposure and health outcomes assessment teams will be blinded to each other throughout the field observation phase. ? ? Multivariate logistic regression (MLR) models and survival analyses will be utilized to explore relationships between job physical risk factors and specific disorders, aggregate disorders and symptoms. In addition to quantifying ergonomic risk factors, interactions between various job, psychosocial and individual risk factors will be explored. This project is expected to result in the ability to improve the existing ergonomic job evaluation models that have robust predictive capabilities for a broad range of industries. ? ?

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
Type
Research Project--Cooperative Agreements (U01)
Project #
5U01OH007917-03
Application #
6775566
Study Section
Special Emphasis Panel (ZOH1-LAP (10))
Program Officer
Frederick, Linda J
Project Start
2002-09-30
Project End
2006-09-29
Budget Start
2004-09-30
Budget End
2005-09-29
Support Year
3
Fiscal Year
2004
Total Cost
$499,122
Indirect Cost
Name
University of Wisconsin Milwaukee
Department
Engineering (All Types)
Type
Schools of Engineering
DUNS #
627906399
City
Milwaukee
State
WI
Country
United States
Zip Code
53201
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Thiese, Matthew S; Hegmann, Kurt T; Kapellusch, Jay et al. (2016) Psychosocial Factors Related to Lateral and Medial Epicondylitis: Results From Pooled Study Analyses. J Occup Environ Med 58:588-93
Ott, Ulrike; Stanford, Joseph B; Murtaugh, Maureen A et al. (2015) Predictors Associated With Changes of Weight and Total Cholesterol Among Two Occupational Cohorts Over 10 Years. J Occup Environ Med 57:743-50
Ott, Ulrike; Stanford, Joseph B; Greenwood, Jessica L J et al. (2015) Stages of weight change among an occupational cohort. J Occup Environ Med 57:270-6
Garg, Arun; Kapellusch, Jay M; Hegmann, Kurt T et al. (2014) The strain index and TLV for HAL: risk of lateral epicondylitis in a prospective cohort. Am J Ind Med 57:286-302
Hegmann, Kurt T; Thiese, Matthew S; Wood, Eric M et al. (2014) Impacts of differences in epidemiological case definitions on prevalence for upper-extremity musculoskeletal disorders. Hum Factors 56:191-202
Kapellusch, Jay M; Garg, Arun; Hegmann, Kurt T et al. (2014) The Strain Index and ACGIH TLV for HAL: risk of trigger digit in the WISTAH prospective cohort. Hum Factors 56:98-111
Garg, Arun; Hegmann, Kurt T; Wertsch, Jacqueline J et al. (2012) The WISTAH hand study: a prospective cohort study of distal upper extremity musculoskeletal disorders. BMC Musculoskelet Disord 13:90
Garg, A; Kapellusch, J; Hegmann, K et al. (2012) The Strain Index (SI) and Threshold Limit Value (TLV) for Hand Activity Level (HAL): risk of carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) in a prospective cohort. Ergonomics 55:396-414