Analysis of factors affecting health status and abnormal lung function of workers exposed to welding fumes in Tianjin from 2020 to 2022

Abstract

Objective: To investigate the health status and the influencing factors of abnormal lung function of welding fumes exposure workers in Tianjin from 2020 to 2022, and to provide theoretical basis for the protection and intervention of key occupational diseases. Methods: In October 2023, the relevant data of occupational health examination of welding fumes exposure workers in Tianjin from 2020 to 2022 (10831, 10758 and 21717 in 2020, 2021 and 2022, respectively) were collected from the China Disease Prevention and Control Information Platform. The electrocardiogram, chest radiograph and lung function abnormalities of workers in each year were analyzed, as well as the association between lung function abnormalities and gender, age, working age, region, etc. With gender, age and years of service as independent variables, logistic regression analysis was performed year by year on the influencing factors of abnormal lung function. Results: From 2020 to 2022, electrocardiogram, chest radiograph and lung function abnormality rates of workers exposed to welding fumes had statistical significances (χ(2)=301.79, 7.87, 1614.54, P<0.05), and the lung function abnormality rate showed a downward trend year by year (χ(2)(trend)=1516.19, P<0.001). The abnormal rates of lung function in male workers exposed to welding fumes were higher than those in female workers (χ(2)=61.65, 8.04, 15.22, P<0.05). With the increase of age, the abnormal rate of lung function showed an increasing trend (χ(2)(trend)=6.47, 10.81, 4.72, P<0.05). The abnormal rates of lung function in the four districts around the city in each year were 22.05% (318/1442), 8.91% (171/1919) and 6.48% (273/4212), respectively. Year by year logistic regression analysis showed that females were the protective factors for abnormal lung function (OR=0.369, 0.568, 0.546; 95%CI: 0.298-0.458, 0.367-0.879, 0.388-0.767; P<0.05) . Conclusion: Attention should be paid to the health status of welding fumes workers in Tianjin, focusing on the protection of middle-aged male workers, and effective prevention measures should be taken for key areas and industries such as the four districts around the city.