Pulmonary function condition and influencing factors in dust-exposed workers

  Objective  To investigate the main factors affecting the pulmonary function of the dust-exposed workers in Guiyang City.

  Methods  A total of 964 workers who had undergone the occupational health examination during the on-the-job period were selected from Guiyang Public Health Treatment Center in the period of January 2020 to December 2020 and divided into the dust-exposed group (n= 526) and the control group (n= 438). The basic characteristics and lung function examination results of workers in these two groups were analyzed. Multiple logistic regression was used to analyze the factors affecting the lung function of the dust-exposed workers.

  Results  The incidence of abnormal high-kV chest radiograph (34.60%), chest tightness (19.39%), shortness of breath (10.27%), cough (23.76%), and sputum (18.06%) were all significantly higher in the dust-exposed group than those in the control group (21.69%, 1.83%, 1.14%, 13.70%, and 7.08%, respectively), and the differences were all statistically significant (P < 0.001). The lung function indexes, including the FVC, FEV₁, and FEV₁/FVC, of workers in the dust-exposed group were significantly lower than those of workers in the control group (P < 0.001). The incidence of abnormal lung function in workers in the dustexposed group (26.62%) was significantly higher than that of workers in the control group (13.24%) (P < 0.001). Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that working time and age growth were the risk factors for abnormal lung function in dust-exposed workers (OR = 1.292-1.560, P < 0.05). Compared with those exposed to welding dust, the risk of abnormal lung function in workers exposed to silica dust and coal dust increased by 1.510 and 1.428 times, respectively (P < 0.05). Frequent wearing of protective equipment was a protective factor for abnormal lung function (OR = 0.594). Compared with the dust-exposed workers in large enterprises, the risk of abnormal lung function in dust-exposed workers in small and medium-sized enterprises was increased (OR = 1.259, 1.042, P < 0.05).

  Conclusions  Enterprises should organize occupational health examinations for dust-exposed workers periodically, keep track of their workers' lung health, strengthen workers' awareness of protection, and ensure they wear protective gear to prevent pneumoconiosis.