title: Cumulative trauma disorders among California veterinarians.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The prevalence of cumulative trauma disorders (CTDs) in veterinarians has not been adequately studied.
  
  
  METHODS
  A questionnaire was sent to 2,000 California veterinarians in 1997; the return rate was 73% (n = 1,415).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Ninety-six percent (1,353) of the respondents were professionally active and were included in the analyses. Sixty-four percent were male and 90% were working full-time. One-fourth of the respondents reported a CTD during their career that required treatment or restricted usual activities. Two-thirds of those reporting CTDs reported chronic or residual problems. In a multivariate regression analysis female sex, working full-time, rectal palpations, and large animal practice were significant risk factors for CTDs.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Being in large animal practice increased the CTD risk for both women and men whether they worked full or part-time. CTD risk was highest in women working full-time and doing 80% rectal palpations. Preventive methods to attenuate the risk of CTDs especially in large animal practice should be investigated.
authors.affiliation: Department of Animal Science, University of California, Davis, California 95616, USA. slberry@ucdavis.edu
authors.forename: Steven L
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Berry
authors.forename: Päivikki
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Susitaival
authors.forename: Abbas
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ahmadi
authors.forename: Marc B
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: Schenker
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002140:California / Q000453:epidemiology; D012090:Cumulative Trauma Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D005260:Female; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D018634:Veterinarians