Abstract
In this study, the authors introduced DASH (Disabilities of the arm, shoulder, and hand), which had been developed for evaluating the functional impairment in the movement of upper extremities in regular daily activities, work ability and sports/performing arts ability. It is an ergonomic risk assessment tool used for industrial workers and also a disability measurement tool for upper extremity disorders arising from musculoskeletal disorders and symptom. This study intended to examine the applicability of DASH in occupational health field. Firstly, DASH development process and composition were reviewed through The DASH outcome measure user's manual and early articles. Secondly, reliability, validity, and responsiveness of the DASH in various languages at the application stage as well as its reliability and validity at the early stage of development were investigated. Thirdly, focusing on the application of DASH to clinical cases, workers with musculoskeletal symptoms, healthy workers, workers with other diseases, and general population were discussed besides workers with major musculoskeletal disorders. Lastly, DASH questionnaire was examined for its potential as a reference for assessing the functional impairment in the movement of upper extremities of workers with musculoskeletal symptoms in industrial workers in Korea.
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