Trends in work-related musculoskeletal disorder reports by year, type, and industrial sector: a capture-recapture analysis.

BACKGROUND

Musculoskeletal disorders (MSD) are thought to be declining based on Bureau of Labor Statistics survey data, but there is also evidence of MSD under-reporting, raising the possibility of contrary trends. The magnitude of MSD under-reporting over time, and its industry distribution have not been adequately described.

METHODS

Capture-recapture analysis of 7 years of Connecticut MSD (1995-2001), utilizing Workers' Compensation and physician reporting data was performed.

RESULTS

Only 5.5%-7.9% of MSD cases appear to be reported to Workers Compensation annually. The capture-recapture estimated average annual rate for upper-extremity MSD was 133.1 per 10,000 employed persons, far above BLS rates. By industry, Manufacturing, State Government, and the Finance/Insurance/Real Estate sectors all had significantly higher MSD rates than Wholesale/Retail Trade.

CONCLUSIONS

Upper-extremity MSD appears to be significantly under-reported, and rates are not decreasing over time. Capture-recapture methods provide an improved surveillance method for monitoring temporal trends in injury rates.