Prevalence of primary non-communicable morbidity in vegetables greenhouse workers

Introduction. In previous studies, we have shown that, despite the modernization of technological processes, working conditions in greenhouse vegetable growing continue to be harmful to the 3rd degree (class 3.3) with a proven occupational risk of development of production-related diseases of the circulatory system, musculoskeletal system, and respiratory system. In this regard, it seemed relevant to clarify the closeness of the relationship between work experience in the occupation and age status with the prevalence of primary non-communicable morbidity (PNCM) in female vegetable growers dealing with protected soil and its nosological structure.

Materials and methods. In this paper, we used the results of extended medical examinations of female vegetable growers at the greenhouse facility of JSC “Sovkhoz-Vesna”, conducted in the period from 2013 to 2017. The level and nosological structure of the primary morbidity in workers were analyzed in accordance with the generally accepted methodology.

Results. It was found that two hundred forty eight general somatic diseases were diagnosed in female workers during the period from 2013 to 2017. The level of PNCM for different years of observation was in the range of 181.8 — 231.9% with a tendency to decrease. The first ranks in the structure of the PNCM were arterial hypertension (AH) — 19.4%, dorsalgia — 12.5%, benign mammary dysplasia (BMD) — 8.9%, chronic bronchitis (CB) — 7.7% and obesity — 7.3%. Correlations of the age factor with hypertension, BMD and obesity corresponded to the gradation of moderate positive associations, with dorsalgia were weak positive ones, with BMD of noticeable positive ones. The age factor made the greatest contribution to the formation of PNCM in relation to BMD (25.7%), CB (22.7%) and obesity (15.4%). In the case of occupational experience, weak negative associations occurred with the prevalence of hypertension and BMD, weak positive ones with CB; negligible ones with obesity and only with dorsalgia, moderate positive ones. The probation factor determined only the development of dorsalgia (12.3%); the contribution to the development of other PNCM ranged from 0.2 to 4.4%. The nature of seniority-age associations with nosologies of PNCM coincided with the trends in the distribution of vegetable workers with PNCM in the functions of age categories and occupational experience.

Limitations. The limitation of the study was the use of data obtained during the examination of vegetable workers of only one greenhouse complex in the analysis of the influence of long-term factors on the prevalence of non-communicable diseases.

Conclusion. Thus, the preservation of the service longevity of working women requires the introduction of complementary health-saving technologies based on the reduction of common risk factors for both occupationally determined pathology and socially significant non-communicable diseases, taking into account gender and age characteristics.

Compliance with ethical standards: the study was conducted with the informed consent of the examined in accordance with the ethical principles of medical research set forth in the Helsinki Declaration of the World Medical Association of the last revision of 2008.

Contribution:
Bezrukova G.A. — the concept and design of the study, statistical processing, writing the text;
Migacheva A.G. — collection of material, statistical processing and writing the text;
Novikova T.A. — writing the text and editing.
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: September 6, 2022 / Accepted: October 3, 2022 / Published: November 30, 2022