Abstract
BackgroundThe aim of this study was to investigate whether self-reports of work ability correlated to the results of quantitative tests measuring physical capacity and a questionnaire assessing psychological mood in vibration-exposed patients with hand symptoms.MethodsThe participants comprised 47 patients (36 men and eleven women) with exposure to hand vibration and vascular and/or neurological symptoms in the hands. They performed several quantitative tests (manual dexterity, hand grip strength, finger strength) and completed the Work Ability Index (WAI) and Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) questionnaires.ResultsCorrelation analysis revealed statistically significant associations between the WAI results, the HADS indices, hand grip and finger strength, and manual dexterity measured using the Purdue Pegboard®. Multiple regression analysis revealed age and HADS indices as the strongest predictors of work ability.ConclusionsThe patient’s age and psychological mood may be stronger predictors of work ability compared with results from tests measuring physical capacity of the hands in vibration-exposed patients with hand symptoms. When using the WAI as an instrument for assessing work ability in these patients, health care providers need to be more aware of the impact of the psychological mood.
Highlights
The aim of this study was to investigate whether self-reports of work ability correlated to the results of quantitative tests measuring physical capacity and a questionnaire assessing psychological mood in vibration-exposed patients with hand symptoms
In order to gain a new perspective on workers’ health and functioning, the aim of this study was to investigate whether work ability correlated to the results of multiple tests, i.e. physical capacity and psychological mood, in vibration-exposed patients with hand symptoms
All had been referred to the Department of Occupational Medicine, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Gothenburg, Sweden, during the past approximately 5 years with suspected vibration injury and all were manual workers exposed to hand vibrations from hand-held vibrating tools during work
Summary
The aim of this study was to investigate whether self-reports of work ability correlated to the results of quantitative tests measuring physical capacity and a questionnaire assessing psychological mood in vibration-exposed patients with hand symptoms. The syndrome has become one of the most commonly described diseases in the industrialized world [6] and in an effort to assess the severity of the symptoms, a classification system of staging the sensorineural and vascular symptoms and signs has been developed, the Stockholm Workshop Scale (SWS) [7]. This scale is partly based on quantitative testing of different sensory modalities involving methods that have been criticized for not being standardized or. With these studies a trend of shifting focus has commenced but the aspect of work ability is missing
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
