Annals of Occupational and Environmental Medicine

Research Article

Characteristics of lumbar disc degeneration and risk factors for collapsed lumbar disc in Korean farmers and fishers: Chaeyoung Hong, Chul Gab Lee, Hansoo Song; Ann Occup Environ Med 2021;33:e16. Published online May 14, 2021; DOI: https://doi.org/10.35371/aoem.2021.33.e16

Abstract Abstract in Korean PDF Supplementary Material PubReader ePub

Background

Few studies have investigated the risk factors for lumbar intervertebral disc degeneration among hard physical workers involved in heavy lifting. In this study, we aimed to identify the characteristics of lumbar intervertebral disc degeneration and evaluate the relationship between collapsed lumbar disc and potential risk factors in farmers and fishers.

Methods

This study included 203 farmers (103 men and 100 women) and 166 fishers (95 men and 71 women) aged 40–69 years who had undergone lumbar magnetic resonance imaging and were enrolled in the Korea Farmer's Knee Cohort and the Jeonnam Fishers' Cohort. We evaluated each of the 5 lumbar discs using the Pfirrmann grading system and classified collapsed lumbar intervertebral disc (cLD) as a case with ≥ 1 grade 5 at any disc level. We investigated potential risk factors, such as gender, age, body mass index (BMI), working hours per day, working months per year, and cumulative heavy lifting working time (CLWT). The odds ratios (ORs) and their corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated.

Results

The prevalence of cLD was 19.8% (23.7% among fishers, 21.2% among fishers with farming, and 17.2% among farmers). cLD correlated with factors such as age and occupation. Gender, CLWT and the working time matrix were not significantly associated with cLD. The OR of cLD adjusted by gender, age, BMI, and working time matrix was 1.26 (95% CI: 0.69–2.30) for ≥ 5,000 hours CLWT compared to that for < 2,000 hours CLWT. The OR of cLD adjusted by gender, age, BMI, CLWT, and working time matrix was 2.08 (95% CI: 1.06–4.06) for fishers compared to that for farmers.

Conclusions

Heavy lifting did not show a significant association with cLD in farmers and fishers. However, there is possibility that fishers are at a higher risk of lumbar disc collapse than farmers.

한국 농어업인의 요추추간판 퇴행성변화의 특징과 요추추간판붕괴의 위험요인
목적
중량물을 운반하는 육체노동자들의 요추추간판 퇴행성변화의 위험인자에 관한 연구는 많지 않다. 본 연구에서는 농어업인의 요추추간판의 퇴행성변화의 특성을 파악하고, 요추추간판붕괴의 위험 요인을 알아보고자 하였다.
방법
본 연구는 한국농업인무릎관절염코호트에 등록된 농업인과 전남어업인코호트에 등록된 어업인 중 요추 자기공명영상을 촬영하였던 40-69세를 대상으로 하였다. 본 연구대상자수는 농업인 203명 (남성 103명, 여성 100명)과 어업인 166명 (남성 95명, 여성 71명)이다. 연구자들은 Pfirrmann 등급 체계를 사용하여 5개의 요추 디스크를 각각 평가하고 모든 디스크 레벨에서 Pfirrmann 등급 5이상인 경우를 ‘요추추간판붕괴’(디스크간격이 50%미만으로 감소)로 분류했다. 성별, 연령, 체질량지수, 일일 근로 시간, 연간 근로 개월 수, 생애누적들기작업시간과 같은 위험요인을 조사하였고, 이를 보정한 오즈비와 95 % 신뢰구간을 산출하였다.
결과
요추추간판붕괴의 유병률은 19.8%(어업인 23.7%, 농업을 겸업하는 어업인 21.2%, 농업인 17.2%)였다. 요추추간판붕괴는 연령 및 직업과 상관관계가 있었다. 반면, 성별, 생애누적들기작업시간, 일일근로시간과 연간근로개월수로 구성된 근무시간요인은 요추추간판붕괴와 유의한 관련성을 보이지 않았다. 보정된 요추추간판붕괴의 오즈비는 생애누적들기작업시간이 2,000시간 미만인 경우에 비해 5,000시간 이상인 경우 어업인의 경우 1.26 (95 % CI 0.69–2.30)이었다. 반면, 보정된 요추추간판붕괴의 오즈비는 농업인에 비해 어업인의 경우 2.08 (95 % CI 1.06–4.06)이었다.
결론
본 연구에서 중량물들기작업시간은 요추추간판의 붕괴와 유의한 연관성을 보이지 않았다. 그러나 어업인의 경우 농업인보다 요추추간판붕괴가 유의하게 많았다.

Citations

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Original Article

Occupational Diseases among Agricultural, Forestry and Fishery Workers Approved by Korea Labor Welfare Corporation: Yeon Soon Ahn, Hyun Sul Lim; Korean Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine 2007;19(1):1-16. Published online March 31, 2007; DOI: https://doi.org/10.35371/kjoem.2007.19.1.1

Abstract PDF

OBJECTIVES
To analyze the characteristics of occupational diseases among agricultural, forestry and fishery workers compensated under the Industrial Accident Compensation Insurance that is operated by the Korea Labor Welfare Corporation (KLWC).
METHODS
Using the KLWC database, we collected 667 cases of occupational disease compensated during the 8 years between 1 January 1998 and 31 December 2005. We analyzed the characteristics of occupational diseases using the KLWC electronic data and the data investigated by the Korea Occupational Safety and Health Agency.
RESULTS
KLWC approved 667 cases, including 69 deaths (10.3%). Men accounted for 76.0%of the approved cases. The most common age group was 50~59 years of age (37.3%). The most common size of enterprise was 5 to 49 workers (47.5%). The proportion of occupational diseases was 54.1%, of which 45.9% was work-related. Among occupational diseases, the most common was skin diseases (147 cases, 40.7%), followed by infectious diseases (131 cases, 36.3%), including scrub typhus (123 cases) and intoxication (40 cases, 11.1%). The causal hazardous agents were biological (320 cases, 88.6%), chemical (29 cases, 8.0%), and physical (11 cases, 3.0%). The major type of industry and occupation were forestry (445 cases, 66.7%) and elementary (151 among 235 cases, 89.3%), respectively.
CONCLUSIONS
Major compensated occupational diseases were infectious diseases, including scrubtyphus, skin diseases and toxic disease, which occurred among workers who were older, and had short tenure and elementary occupation, and these workers were out of the occupational health policy. A management policy must be established to prevent occupational diseases occurring in such vulnerable workers.

Citations

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Journal of Korean Medical Science.2014; 29(Suppl): S24. CrossRef
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Journal of Korean Medical Science.2010; 25(Suppl): S53. CrossRef
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Journal of Korean Medical Science.2010; 25(Suppl): S112. CrossRef

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