Environmental health: vibration-related occupational disease: practice question

A PSM question in the style of the NEET PG paper. Answer it first, then read why the right option is right and why each of the others is wrong.

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PSM · Environmental health: vibration-related occupational disease

Sample item

A road-drill operator reports episodes of blanching and numbness of the fingers on exposure to cold. Which occupational disease is this?

Original practice item, not a recalled exam question. Nothing here is recorded.

The answer and the reasoning

D. Hand-arm vibration syndrome

Hand-arm vibration syndrome, or vibration white finger, follows prolonged use of vibrating tools such as drills and chainsaws. Vasospasm causes blanching and numbness of the fingers in the cold. Byssinosis and bagassosis are pneumoconioses.

Option by option

  • A. Byssinosis

    Byssinosis is a lung disease of cotton workers.

  • B. Lead colic

    Lead colic is abdominal pain from lead poisoning.

  • C. Bagassosis

    Bagassosis is hypersensitivity pneumonitis from sugar cane waste.

  • D. Hand-arm vibration syndrome (correct)

    Correct. Prolonged use of vibrating tools causes vibration white finger.

Source note: Original NextPrep sample item — pending expert review. This item is original practice material awaiting independent expert review, so confirm important facts in a standard textbook.

More PSM questions

Questions about this PSM question

What is the answer to this PSM question?

The best answer is D, Hand-arm vibration syndrome. Hand-arm vibration syndrome, or vibration white finger, follows prolonged use of vibrating tools such as drills and chainsaws.

Why is "Byssinosis" not the answer?

Byssinosis is a lung disease of cotton workers.

Why is "Lead colic" not the answer?

Lead colic is abdominal pain from lead poisoning.

Why is "Bagassosis" not the answer?

Bagassosis is hypersensitivity pneumonitis from sugar cane waste.

What concept does this question test?

It tests Environmental health: vibration-related occupational disease in PSM. Vasospasm causes blanching and numbness of the fingers in the cold. Byssinosis and bagassosis are pneumoconioses.

How hard is this question?

We tag it as an application question: it asks you to use a fact on a patient or a finding. The tag is our own editorial judgement, not an official difficulty rating, so read the reason for every option, not only the answer.

How should I study Environmental health: vibration-related occupational disease?

Practise biostatistics with small calculations until sensitivity, predictive values and risk measures are automatic. Then use the flashcards and the other PSM questions on this site to test what stuck.

Is this a real NEET PG question?

No. It is an original practice item (editorial status: sample, version 1). NextPrep does not publish recalled or leaked questions, and independent faculty review of this item has not been completed yet, so confirm important facts in a standard textbook.