The 'health-related selection effect' on occupational morbidity rates

The aim of this study was to investigate the extent to which differences between physically light and heavy work, with respect to the development of health problems, might in cross-sectional data be eliminated or diminished by health-related selection into and out of occupations. The study population comprised 12,314 men and 12,393 women between 25 and 74 years of age, who were interviewed within the framework of the Statistics Sweden Survey of Living Conditions. For all respondents, detailed occupational histories were recorded. For all the diseases and functional disorders studied, morbidity differences were apparently diminished compared to what would be expected if there was no selection. This association was most apparent when studying musculoskeletal disorders, impaired hearing and impaired working capacity for men.     

Current problems of occupational morbidity on the railway transport

The paper discusses the present working conditions on railway transport, by using the results of employee rating, characterizes railway services showing the greatest magnitude of adverse and dangerous factors of working conditions. It also characterizes occupational morbidity in railway transport workers over 5 years (1999-2003) and by hazards problems of occupational morbidity and by basic services: locomotive, wagon, and track ones. The paper also presents the rates of disability due to occupational diseases, characterizes the priorities of prevention of occupational diseases on the railway transport.     

Mortality and cancer morbidity after heavy occupational fluoride exposure

A cohort of 431 male cryolite workers employed for at least six months between 1924 and 1961 was identified from personnel records at the Copenhagen cryolite factory. During this period, heavy fluoride exposure resulted in at least 74 cases of skeletal fluorosis. All workmen in the cohort were followed up in Denmark until July 1, 1981. During 1941-1981, 206 men died, while only 149.3 deaths were expected from national mortality statistics. Significant excesses were seen in the following causes of death: violent death and all cancers, in particular cancer of the respiratory system. When compared with specific mortality rates for the Copenhagen area, violent death (and suicide taken alone) remained in significant excess among employees hired before 1940. Cancer morbidity data for the 35-year period 1943-1977 showed 78 cases of malignant neoplasms in the cryolite workers against 53.2 expected for Denmark as a whole and 67.9 for Copenhagen. The excess was almost entirely due to an excess number of respiratory cancers. Cancer morbidity showed no apparent correlation with length of employment or time from first exposure. Because detailed information on predictors for respiratory cancer was unavailable, a possible residual effect of fluoride cannot be excluded. However, any major carcinogenic effect of heavy fluoride exposure would be very unlikely.     

Assigning race to occupational cohorts using census block statistics

Race is an important determinant of disease frequency, yet the race of subjects in retrospective epidemiologic studies is frequently unknown. If addresses are available, the race of study subjects may be estimated from the racial composition of the blocks on which they have resided. Such information can be obtained from census block statistics for Standard Metropolitan Statistical Areas and, with the 1990 Census, probably for the entire United States. The authors assigned black race to persons on blocks with greater than 60% black residents and white race to those residing on blocks containing less than 40% blacks. The validity of the procedure was tested on 341 decedents of known race who resided at the time of death within the Detroit, Michigan, Standard Metropolitan Statistical Area. Thirteen individuals who lived on blocks with 40-60% blacks were excluded from analysis, as well as 18 others for whom racial composition of blocks could not be ascertained. In 293 (94%) of the remaining 310 persons, race assigned on the basis of census information agreed with race obtained from death certificates. This method should prove useful for assigning race to study subjects lacking racial identification.     

朝阳市职业病发病情况分析

为了解朝阳市近年来职业病的发病情况,进一步促进我市的职业病防治和报告工作,笔者对本市近年来的职业病的发病情况进行统计分析。1 材料与方法 根据卫生部颁发的《职业病范围和职业病患者处理办法的规定》和《职业病报告办法》及《职业病诊断管理办法》的要求,调查、统计了我市1996-2001年间诊断的职业病登记簿及所填写的职业病报告卡,并同各县(市)、区卫生防疫站的职业病年报表