Healthy Worker Selection among Workers Exposed to Organic Dust

Torben Sigsgaard.


 
ABSTRACT

This investigation was done to study the possible secondary healthy worker selection (HWS) in two cross sectional studies. The study population consisted of 387 workers exposed to organic dust in textile mills and house hold waste recycling plants. As controls served 13 workers from a MMF mill and drinking water supply plants. To study the effect of organic dust asthma, disposition to atopy (DISP) and Skin prick test (SPT) were chosen as outcome variables. The workers were divided into three groups with respect to dust and endotoxin exposure, and the outcomes were analysed in these exposure groups. The results demonstrate two components of the secondary HWS, namely selection out of job of diseased workers and the selection of less susceptible workers to more exposed jobs. Selection to less exposure was demonstrated in the falling odds ratio (OR) for DISP and SPT with rising exposure level. For DISP the OR (95% c.i.) were 0.8 (0.51.) and 0.3 (0.1-0.7) in the light and heavy exposed groups respectively. Selection out of job was shown among cotton workers where a falling OR for asthma was found in the exposed groups. OR (95% c.i.) were 0.8 (0.3.0) and 0.1 (0.0-0.8) in the light and heavy exposed groups respectively. This study emphasizes the importance of recognizing HWS when investigating diseases in which susceptible workers experience adverse effects, and where the disease itself forces the persons to leave the job with a power rising with higher exposure levels.



Reprinted from 1992 Proceedings Beltwide Cotton Conferences pp. 229 - 234
©National Cotton Council, Memphis TN

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Document last modified Sunday, Dec 6 1998