The prevalence of back pain, hand discomfort, and dermatitis in the US working population

The purpose of the study was to provide the health care and public health communities with national prevalence estimates of selected conditions in the US working population.

National prevalence estimates of self-reported conditions among working people were calculated from data collected for the 1988 Occupational Health Supplement to the National Health Interview Survey.

The highest prevalence estimates were found among occupational groups. For example, the prevalence of back pain due to an injury at work among truck drivers was 6.7%; back pain due to repeated activities at work among mechanics and repairers of heavy equipment and machinery was 10.5%; hand discomfort among operators of machines that process metal, plastic, stone, and glass was 23.5%; and dermatitis due to contact with substances at work among physicians, dentists, nurses, pharmacists, and dietitians was 5.6%.

A substantial proportion of these conditions among occupational groups with the highest prevalence estimates are occupational in origin. These prevalence estimates identify occupations in which efforts are needed to prevent these conditions.