Frequency of somatic pathology occurrence in workers of the main professions of coal pits in the South of Kuzbass

The problem of incidence rate among workers of the main professions of the coal mining industry is traditionally considered from the perspective of occupational pathologies. At the same time, the issues of the spread of production-related somatic diseases among this category of the employable population are undeservedly left without due attention.

The objective of the study was assessing the frequency of somatic pathology occurrence in workers of coal pits in the South of Kuzbass.

489 workers of the main professions of coal pits in the South of the Kemerovo region were examined (men aged 22 to 55 years, who were randomized into 2 groups according to the level of exposure to a complex of unfavorable factors of the production environment). The first group with a higher level of exposure to harmful and hazardous production factors of class 3.3 and 3.4 included 196 people: machinists of mining and technological equipment, machinists of drilling rigs, explosives; the second group with the level of danger and harmfulness of class 3.1 and 3.2 consisted of 293 workers, namely, drivers of technological motor vehicles. The study of the frequency of somatic pathology was carried out depending on the length of work experience and the age of the subjects. Each group was divided into subgroups: by the age and work experience. 

In group 1, somatic pathologies were detected in 52.0% of the cases, in group 2 — in 44.4% (χ²=2.772, p=0.096). In the structure of somatic diseases in the group with a higher class of danger and harmfulness, diseases of the circulatory system (38.24%), diseases of the musculoskeletal system and connective tissue (12.75%) and diseases of the nervous system (8.82%) prevailed; in the group with a lower hazard class there were also diseases of the circulatory system (33.85%), diseases of the musculoskeletal system and connective tissue (14.62%), diseases of the nervous system (12.31%). The frequency of somatic diseases is recorded in a direct linear relationship with the work experience and age of coal pit workers.

Limitations. This study is limited to a sample of workers in the main professions of coal pits undergoing periodic medical examinations at the Research Institute for Complex Problems of Hygiene and Occupational Diseases.

Conclusion. In the structure of somatic diseases of workers of the main professions of coal pits in the South of Kuzbass, three nosological forms occupy a leading position: diseases of the circulatory system, diseases of the musculoskeletal system and connective tissue, and the nervous system. Among the surveyed workers employed in coal pits with a higher level of exposure to harmful and hazardous production factors, a 100% incidence of somatic diseases was revealed among the respondents aged more than 41 years and with work experience over 21 years. These data should be taken into account when carrying out periodic medical examinations, preventive medical examinations, for the development and implementation of therapeutic and prophylactic measures and post-shift rehabilitation programs.

Ethics. The study was conducted in compliance with the standards of the Bioethical Committee of the Research Institute for Complex Problems of Hygiene and Occupational Diseases, established in accordance with the Helsinki Declaration of the World Association "Ethical Principles for Conducting Human Scientific Medical Research" as amended in 2013 and the "Rules of Clinical Practice in the Russian Federation", approved by the Order of the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation No. 266 of 19.06.2003. All subjects signed an informed consent to participate in the study.

Contribution:
Ulanova E.V. — concept and design of the study, collection of literature data, writing the text;
Blazhina O.N. — collection and processing of material;
Filimonov E.S. — collection and processing of material, writing the text;
Korotenko O.Yu. — editing.

Funding. The study had no funding.

Conflict of interests. The authors declare no conflict of interests.

Received: 25.04.2022 / Accepted: 26.05.2022 / Published: 25.06.2022

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