Analysis of Risk Factors of Respiratory Pathology in Far North Nickel Industry Workers

It is known that development of health problems is caused by a combination of genetic, behavioral, environmental and occupational factors. The aim of the study was to identify and quantify the importance of production and non-production risk factors for chronic bronchopulmonary diseases (CBPD) in 1 530 employees of the nickel industry in the Kola North. The study of the structure and prevalence of CBPD showed that the risk of their development was higher in the employees of the electrolysis shop as compared to the workers of the auxiliary shops (RR = 1.81). In the former group of the employees, the highest risk for chronic bronchitis (CB) and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) was found in the electrolysis workers (RR = 1.54). In both groups of the workers, the most significant risk factors in the CB and COPD were exposure to tobacco smoke (RR = 2.42-1 1.73) and harmful production impacts (RR = 2.05-13.22). The risk of the developing CB and COPD was also increased by misuse of alcohol (OR = 1.59-2.32) and low physical activity (RR = 1.61-1.97). Causal risk factors for toxic fibrosis were different - age of an employee over 40 years (RR = 6.75) and overweight (OR = 4.44). No risk factors for asthma have been found within the scope of the studied causes. It has been concluded that in determination of the degree of the CBPD development risks in the nickel industry workers, a combination of production and non-production impacts should be taken into consideration. Only improvement of working conditions is not enough to reduce the CBPD risk. The task also requires influence of modifiable non-work related adverse factors, with tobacco smoking being the most important of them

Asthma · Chronic bronchitis · COPD · Environmental health · Obesity · Overweight · Relative risk · Risk factor · Air Quality and Health Impacts · Healthcare Systems and Public Health · Human Health and Disease · Medicine · Internal Medicine