Self-reported upper extremity health status correlates with depression.

Area of Science:

• Orthopedics
• Psychology
• Health Outcomes Research

Background:

• The Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand (DASH) questionnaire is a primary tool for assessing upper extremity health status.
• Variability in DASH scores may stem from psychosocial factors rather than solely objective pathology.
• This study investigates the link between psychological factors and DASH scores in conditions with limited pathological variation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To examine the correlation between the DASH score and psychological factors.
• To identify specific psychological influences on upper extremity health status measures.
• To understand the impact of psychosocial elements on patient-reported outcomes.

Main Methods:

• 235 patients with common, discrete hand/arm conditions completed the DASH, Eysenck Personality Questionnaire-Revised (EPQ-R), Center for Epidemiologic Studies-Depression (CES-D) scale, and Pain Anxiety Symptoms Scale (PASS).
• Diagnoses included carpal tunnel syndrome, de Quervain tenosynovitis, lateral elbow pain, trigger finger, and distal radius fracture.
• Statistical analyses determined relationships between psychosocial factors and DASH scores.

Main Results:

• A significant positive correlation was found between DASH scores and depression (CES-D) across all diagnoses.
• DASH scores correlated with pain anxiety for most diagnoses, but not with neuroticism (EPQ-R).
• Depression (CES-D score) and gender were identified as independent predictors of DASH scores.

Conclusions:

• Patient-reported upper extremity health status (DASH score) is significantly associated with depression and pain anxiety.
• Psychosocial factors demonstrably influence the interpretation of health-status measures.
• The study underscores the importance of considering psychological elements in upper extremity condition management.