title: Hand-arm vibration disorder among grass-cutter workers in Malaysia.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Prolonged exposure to hand-transmitted vibration from grass-cutting machines has been associated with increasing occurrences of symptoms and signs of occupational diseases related to hand-arm vibration syndrome (HAVS).
  
  
  METHODS
  A cross-sectional study was carried out using an adopted HAVS questionnaire on hand-arm vibration exposure and symptoms distributed to 168 male workers from the grass and turf maintenance industry who use hand-held grass-cutting machines as part of their work. The prevalence ratio and symptom correlation to HAVS between high and low-moderate exposure risk groups were evaluated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There were positive HAVS symptoms relationships between the low-moderate exposure group and the high exposure group among hand-held grass-cutting workers. The prevalence ratio was considered high because there were indicators that fingers turned white and felt numb, 3.63, 95% CI [1.41, 9.39] and 4.24, 95% CI [2.18, 8.27], respectively. Less than 14.3% of workers stated that they were aware of the occupational hand-arm vibration, and it seemed to be related to the finger blanching and numbness.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results suggest that HAVS is under-diagnosed in Malaysia, especially in the agricultural sectors. More information related to safety and health awareness programmes for HAVS exposure is required among hand-held grass-cutting workers.
authors.affiliation: a Universiti Tun Hussein Onn Malaysia (UTHM) , Malaysia.
authors.forename: Nor Azali
authors.initials: NA
authors.lastname: Azmir
authors.affiliation: a Universiti Tun Hussein Onn Malaysia (UTHM) , Malaysia.
authors.forename: Mohd Imran
authors.initials: MI
authors.lastname: Ghazali
authors.affiliation: a Universiti Tun Hussein Onn Malaysia (UTHM) , Malaysia.
authors.forename: Musli Nizam
authors.initials: MN
authors.lastname: Yahya
authors.affiliation: b National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) , Malaysia.
authors.forename: Mohamad Hanafi
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Ali
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D053421:Hand-Arm Vibration Syndrome / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006801:Humans; D008283:Maintenance; D008296:Malaysia / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology*; D016273:Occupational Exposure; D015995:Prevalence; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014732:Vibration / Q000009:adverse effects
keywords: hand-held grass cutter; hand–arm vibration syndrome; prevalence