The US prevalence of self-reported carpal tunnel syndrome: 1988 National Health Interview Survey data

Am J Public Health. 1994 Nov;84(11):1846-8. doi: 10.2105/ajph.84.11.1846.

Abstract

To estimate the prevalence of carpal tunnel syndrome among US adults, data from the Occupational Health Supplement of the 1988 National Health Interview Survey were analyzed. Based on a sample of 44,233 households (response rate, 91.5%), an estimated 1.55% (2.65 million) of 170 million adults self-reported carpal tunnel syndrome in 1988. Females and Whites had a higher prevalence of self-reporting carpal tunnel syndrome than males and non-Whites, respectively. Among 127 million adults who worked during the 12 months before the survey, 0.53% (0.68 million) reported that their "prolonged" hand discomfort was called carpal tunnel syndrome by a health care provider.

MeSH terms

  • Activities of Daily Living
  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Carpal Tunnel Syndrome / diagnosis
  • Carpal Tunnel Syndrome / epidemiology*
  • Carpal Tunnel Syndrome / etiology
  • Carpal Tunnel Syndrome / physiopathology
  • Female
  • Health Surveys
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Occupational Diseases / diagnosis
  • Occupational Diseases / epidemiology*
  • Occupational Diseases / etiology
  • Occupational Diseases / physiopathology
  • Population Surveillance*
  • Prevalence
  • Sampling Studies
  • Sex Factors
  • United States / epidemiology