Usefulness of North Carolina Workers' Compensation Data for Surveillance of Cumulative Trauma Disorders

Abstract

North Carolina workers' compensation claims data were explored to determine the ease with which the data could be used to study cumulative trauma disorders. A descriptive survey was performed to determine the frequency and distribution of claims for carpal tunnel syndrome and upper extremity tendinitis during 1986 to 1988. Minor claims were not computerized and therefore were not available for study. Cases were not entered into the database until the claim had legally closed, resulting in a delay in claim ascertainment for more complex cases. Race of claimants was not available for study. There were 851 claims for cumulative trauma disorders in the study group. The highest rate was found in the food products industry (5.6 claims per 10,000 workers); the 6 next highest rates were found among manufacturing industries (2.5 to 4.2 claims per 10,000 workers). In the 10 industries with highest cumulative trauma disorder rates, the proportion of claims diagnosed as carpal tunnel syndrome varied from 26.3 to 67.9 percent. The mean number of lost work days per claim in these industries varied from 34 to 128 days. The most frequently cited sources of injury were nonpowered hand tools, sewing or weaving machines, containers, powered hand tools and meat, poultry or seafood. Advantages of the data set included ease of analysis and availability of codes for claimant's occupation, for work implements causally associated with injuries and for lost work time per claim. Industries and occupations with high cumulative trauma disorder claim rates were found to be similar to those in other state and national surveys. Noncomputerization of minor claims precluded direct comparison of North Carolina injury claim rates with rates in other states. The North Carolina workers' compensation database is useful for study of nonminor cumulative trauma disorder claims, and the detailed information available for each claim could be used to plan preventive interventions.