Working conditions and the prevalence of chronic non-communicable diseases among workers in the production of polyacrylonitrile fibers

Introduction. Ensuring safe working conditions and preventing health problems in the workplace is a priority measure for maintaining health and extending the working life of the working population.

Materials and methods. The working conditions and chronic non-infectious morbidity (primary, accumulated) of workers in the production of polyacrylonitrile (PAN) fibers were studied according to the data of in-depth medical examinations (2017–2021).

Results. Workers of modern production of PAN fibers in the course of their work were shown to be exposed to the combined effects of a complex of chemicals of 1–4 hazard classes, industrial noise, severity and labour intensity, which form an occupational health risk, assessed by hygienic criteria in categories from small (class 3.1) to high (class 3.3). The first ranking places in the nosological structure of accumulated chronic non-infectious morbidity of workers were occupied by dorsalgia (24.23%), essential (primary) arterial hypertension (14.67%), obesity (9.9%) and presbyopia (8.87%). Positive associations of weak age strength with arterial hypertension, obesity, and presbyopia were revealed (Rxy=0.280, Rxy=0.121, Rxy=0.133, respectively). Work experience had a weak positive relationship with the prevalence of presbyopia (Rxy=0.239). A causal relationship was established between a moderate degree of diseases of the musculoskeletal system and connective tissue (dorsalgia, the severity of the labour process (RR=1.893; EF=47.183%; CI=1.192–3.007), a relationship between a small degree of diseases of the eye and its adnexa with exposure acrylonitrile and methyl acrylate (RR=1.46; EF=31.522%; CI=1.970–1.082), which made it possible to attribute these pathologies to work-related diseases.

Limitations determined by the study of the subject of research in the production of polyacrylonitrile fibers of one enterprise.

Conclusion. Despite the modernization that has taken place in the chemical industry, working conditions in the modern production of PAN fibers continue to be harmful, presenting an occupational risk for the development of chronic non-communicable diseases in workers, which determines the relevance of developing evidence-based measures for their prevention.

Compliance with ethical standards. The studies were conducted in compliance with the requirements of confidentiality of personal data, ethical standards and principles of conducting medical research with human participation, set out in the Helsinki Declaration of the World Medical Association (ed. 2013). Written consent of the respondents was obtained to participate in the study. The study was carried out with the permission of the local ethical committee of the Saratov Hygiene Medical Research Center of the Federal Scientific Center for Medical and Preventive Health Risk Management Technologies (Protocol No. 11 of 01.08.2022).

Contribution:
Novikova T.A. — concept and design of the study, text writing, editing;
Migacheva A.G. — material collection and processing, statistical data processing, text writing;
Bezrukova G.A. — editing, final version approval;
Aleshina Yu.A. — material collection and processing, statistical data processing;
Kochetova N.A. — collection and processing of material, statistical processing of data.
All authors are responsible for the integrity of all parts of the manuscript and approval of the manuscript final version.

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

Acknowledgement. The study had no sponsorship.

Received: March 9, 2023 / Accepted: May 31, 2023 / Published: June 20, 2023