Carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) is a common medical condition that is a part of the broader group of cumulative trauma disorders (CTD). It is associated with a marked symptomatology resulting from entrapment of the median nerve at the wrist, and can have serious occupational and economic implications. Works involving repetitive wrist and arm movements and jobs requiring strong grip, use of vibrating tools, and working in a cold environment are all known risk factors for CTS [1][2][3] . The burden of occupation-related CTS is substantial 4,5) , in particular among those employed in high-risk occupations such as the food industry, postal workers, and health care personnel. In the U.S., cumulative trauma injuries and repeated trauma, of which CTS makes up a substantial fraction, represent about 65% of occupational injuries 5) .Studies have repeatedly demonstrated that under-recognition and under-reporting of work-related CTS are quite common 2, 5-7) , despite extensive description of the syndrome in the occupational and general medical literature [7][8][9] . Not infrequently, non-occupational physicians do not address the possible role of occupational risk-factors in the etiology of the syndrome during the evaluation of a particular patient. This situation is quite unfortunate as after the relationship between specific occupational factors and the occurrence of CTS is established, appropriate preventive measures can be taken to alleviate suffering and prevent further damage to the afflicted individual, as well as preventing fellow workers from developing similar symptoms.The purpose of this study is to evaluate the level of awareness of non-occupational physicians to the possible role of occupational risk factors in the development of CTS in individual patients. The study was carried out in a large regional outpatient service that provides care for approximately 10% of the population of Israel and it was approved by the ethics committee of the regional hospital. The study group was consisted of 229 individuals aged 25-65, who were operated at the outpatient surgical units of the regional health care service during a threeyear period (1st January 1999 to 31st December 2001). All CTS cases were diagnosed based on clinical symptoms and nerve conduction velocity (NCV) studies. Only patients with first operation for CTS were included. Controls were subjects matched by gender and age (± 2