Chinese health care: determinants of the system.
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China↗
Biomedical subjects
L J Fine
Publications and source records attributed to L J Fine.
Respiratory morbidity in rubber workers: II. Pulmonary function in curing workers.
Pulmonary function tests were conducted on 121 curing and 189 control workers in 1972; 87% of the 1972 cohort was resurveyed one year later. The curing workers were subdivided into high and low exposure groups on the basis of environmental sampling. Cross-sectionally, in the 1972 cohort, the residual forced vital capacity was significantly decreased (P greater than .01) among the the heavily exposed workers (266 ml). Longitudinally, the mean one-year loss of forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1.0) (173 ml/yr) in the curing workers with more than ten years of exposure was significantly greater (P less than .01) than in the control groups. Pulmonary function tests before and after a day's work were conducted on 29 curing-room workers. The eight heavily exposed curing workers had a significant decrease (P less than .05) in FEV1.0 of 115 ml. Our findings are sufficient to conclude that heavy exposure to curing fume affects pulmonary function. We recommend reduction of exposure and further longitudinal studies, especially in regard to those most heavily exposed.
Adult↗
Studies of respiratory morbidity in rubber workers. Part III. Respiratory morbidity in processing workers.
Respiratory questionnaires and pulmonary function tests were administered to sixty-five men exposed to dust in the processing are from three rubber tire manufacturing plants. Similar tests were done on 189 "control" workers. Compared with the controls, the processing workers had a higher prevalence of chronic productive cough. Overall, the processing group showed a decrease in the ratio of FEV to FVC. The processing workers with more than ten years of exposure showed a significant decrease in the ratio of FEV1.0/FVC, the FEV1.0, the residual FEV1.0, and the flow rates at 50% and 25% of the forced vital capacity. None of the pulmonary function effects could be solely explained on the basis of smoking, age, ethnic, or socioeconomic factors: all were related to the length of exposure. Based on these results we conclude that exposure in the processing area produces pulmonary disease.
Adult↗
Studies of respiratory morbidity in rubber workers. Part IV. Respiratory morbidity in talc workers.
Pulmonary function tests, chest x-rays, and respiratory questionnaires were administered to eighty talc workers and 189 non-exposed rubber workers from three rubber tire manufacturing plants. The talc workers, who were exposed to talc at levels below the current threshold limit value (TLV) of 20 mppcf for nonfibrous talc, had a statistically significantly greater prevalence of productive cough and of positive criteria for chronic obstructive lung disease (COLD) than did the control workers. The talc workers with more than 10 years of exposure had significantly decreased residual FEV 1.0. Multiple regression analysis of FEV 1.0 in the talc workers estimated that each year of exposure to talc dust reduced the FEV 1.0 by 26 ml. Talc workers had a clear increase in respiratory morbidity, despite the absence of chest roentgenographic changes. Based on this study, a safe exposure level for talc appears to be 25 mg/m3 as a time-weighted average.
Bronchitis↗
Protein excretion patterns in cadmium-exposed individuals: high resolution electrophoresis.
High resolution electrophoresis was used to evaluate protein excretion patterns in six cadmium-exposed individuals with proteinuria, seven subjects with nonspecific nephropathies, and four normal unexposed subjects. The aim of the investigation was to determine (a) the type of excretion pattern (i.e., glomerular, tubular, or mixed) associated with cadmium exposure and (b) if the pattern in the cadmium-exposed individuals was distinctly different from subjects with nonspecific nephropathies. The electrophoretic results were consistent with the quantitative results for the cadmium-exposed workers. The results suggest that the pattern associated with cadmium exposure can be glomerular or mixed and that it is different (i.e., no gamma band) from nonspecific nephropathies.
Adult↗
Surveillance and occupational health.
This report explains the basics of two important uses of surveillance data: determining the magnitude of a specific occupational health or injury problem and examining temporal trends to determine whether the problem is increasing or decreasing. Types of data available for the purpose and some of their strengths and weaknesses are described. The utility of surveillance data is illustrated with examples from surveillance of acute injuries, musculoskeletal disorders, lead overexposures, and hazard surveillance data sets. Increasingly, surveillance systems may be used to evaluate the effectiveness of interventions. Surveillance is most important in times of rapid change in the economy and when resources for prevention may be limited. Both conditions are common in the world today.
Databases, Factual↗
Respiratory morbidity in rubber workers: I. Prevalence of respiratory symptoms and disease in curing workers.
One hundred twenty-one men who were exposed to tire-curing fumes responded to respiratory symptom questionnaires. Results were compared with questionnaires of 189 nonexposed workers who were employed by the same three tire manufacturing plants. The curing workers had a higher prevalence of chronic bronchitis than the controls. Of the curing workers with more than ten years of experience to fumes, 25% met the criteria for the epidemiological diagnosis of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Increased respiratory morbidity in the curing workers was related to both intensity and length of exposure to fumes. Because cigarette smoking and other variables cannot explain the difference between the curing and control groups, we attribute the greater prevalence of respiratory morbidity to exposure to curing fumes. These findings warrant further longitudinal studies and reduction of exposure, especially for workers on the manual automobile tire presses, which is the high-exposure group.
Adult↗