Physical Capacity and Psychological Mood in Association with Self-reported Work Ability in Vibration-exposed Patients with Hand Symptoms

Overview

Journal J Occup Med Toxicol

Publisher Biomed Central

Specialty Environmental Health

Date 2012 Nov 10

PMID 23136907

Citations 10

Authors

Maria Edlund

Lars Gerhardsson

Mats Hagberg

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Unlabelled:

Background: 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.

Methods: The 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.

Results: Correlation 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.

Conclusions: The 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.

Citing Articles

Association between health-related physical fitness indicators and working ability: a systematic review.

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Work ability and physical fitness among aging workers: the Finnish Retirement and Aging Study.

Suorsa K, Mattila V, Leskinen T, Heinonen O, Pentti J, Vahtera J Eur J Ageing. 2022; 19(4):1301-1310.

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The impact of Raynaud's phenomenon on work ability - a longitudinal study.

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Muscular Fitness and Work Ability among Physical Therapists.

Ezzatvar Y, Calatayud J, Andersen L, Vieira E, Lopez-Bueno R, Casana J Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2021; 18(4).

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Style: J of occupational medicine and toxicology vibration induced injuries in hands in long-term vibration exposed workers.

Gerhardsson L, Hagberg M J Occup Med Toxicol. 2019; 14:21.

PMID: 31341508 PMC: 6631884. DOI: 10.1186/s12995-019-0242-0.

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