The applicability of Boston Carpal Tunnel Questionnaire as a screening tool for carpal tunnel syndrome among potential high-risk female population in the West Bank: a cross-sectional study

Abstract

Introduction: Carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) is an entrapment neuropathy with a high level of morbidity if neglected. Boston Carpal Tunnel Questionnaire (BCTQ) was designed to track patients’ progress after diagnosis. However, few studies showed that this questionnaire might be applicable as a screening tool for CTS. Objective: This study aims to identify the ability of BCTQ to detect symptoms and functional limitations of CTS among the potential high-risk population. Materials and Methods: This study is a cross-sectional study involving 366 females, aged 30–60 years, residents of the West Bank, Palestine. Data was collected using BCTQ to assess participants’ symptoms severity and functional limitations. Results: Symptoms were reported in 72.4% of participants, while functional limitations were reported in 64.2%. Very severe symptoms were found in 1.1% of the study population, and very severe functional limitations were reported in 1.4% only. BCTQ reliability testing via Cronbach alpha showed a score of 0.937 and 0.922 for symptom severity and functional limitations scales, respectively. The most common reported symptom was pain during the daytime, while the ‘household chores’ was the most common functional limitation. Conclusion: This study showed that many participants reported symptoms and functional limitations of CTS without a prior diagnosis. The BCTQ can potentially be used as a screening tool for middle-aged females in the West Bank, Palestine, as it showed strong applicability. However, this study could not compute the actual prevalence of CTS due to the lack of access to clinical and electrophysiological confirmation.