Utilization of hospital service and its influencing factors among patients with occupational pneumoconiosis / 中国职业医学

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the utilization of hospital service and its related influencing factors among patients with occupational pneumoconiosis. METHODS: A total of 178 patients with occupational pneumoconiosis were selected as the study subjects using the convenience sampling method. The utilization of hospital service and health-related quality of life of patients with pneumoconiosis and its complications were investigated using the Questionnaire on Pneumoconiosis Patients′ Medical Consultation Behavior and its Influencing Factors and the European Quality of Life Inventory.RESULTS: The one-year hospitalization rate of patients with pneumoconiosis was 57.3%(102/178), and 88.2% of the patients were hospitalized once a year. The median number of hospitalization time in a year was 20.0 days. Visual health scale(VAS) score was(58±15) points. The multiple logistic regression analysis results showed that the utilization of hospital service among patients with employment injury insurance and fund reimbursement provided by the local governmentwere higher than those without employment injury insurancea nd without fund reimbursement provided by the local government(all P<0.05). The utilization of hospital service of patients with problems in usual activities and those unable to perform usual activities were higher than those without any problems(P<0.05). The utilization hospital service of patients with VAS scores <60 was higher than those with VAS scores of 60-<75(P<0.05). CONCLUSION: The patients with pneumoconiosis have a relatively overall high level of utilization of hospital service. The employment injury insurance, fund reimbursement provided by the local government, VAS score, and status of physical health are important influencing factors of utilization of hospital service.

Occupational Exposure to Indium of Indium Smelter Workers / 生物医学与环境科学（英文）

Case reports of indium-related lung disease in workers have raised public concern to the human toxicity of indium (In) and its compounds. However, studies evaluating the exposure or health of workers in In smelting plants are rare. Therefore, in this study, we focused on four In smelting plants, with the main objective of characterizing In in smelter plants in China and discussing the potential exposure biomarkers of In exposure. We recruited 494 subjectsat four In smelting plants in China. Personal air samples, first morning urine and spot blood samples were collected. In concentrations in samples were analyzed using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. In concentrations in air samples did not exceed the permissible concentration-time weighed average, but the smelter workers had a higher internal exposure to In. Positive correlations were observed between the air In and urine In concentrations, and between the air In and blood In concentrations. This study provides basic data for the following In exposure and health risk assessment.

Retrospective analysis on non-invasive positive pressure ventilation on pneumoconiosis complicated with dyspnea / 中国职业医学

OBJECTIVE: To observe the rehabilitation effect of non-invasive positive pressure ventilation( NPPV) in treating pneumoconiosis patients with pulmonary dyspnea. METHODS: A retrospective analysis was used to analyze the treatment compliance,treatment time,treatment effect and adverse reactions of 295 pneumoconiosis patients who had undergone inpatient NPPV treatment. RESULTS: The median of NPPV treatment time of 295 pneumoconiosis patients was 14( 1-281)days. The treatment compliance rate was 79. 66 %( 235 /295). The dyspnea improvement rate was 73. 22 %( 216 /295).The Chi-square test results showed that the dyspnea improvement rate increased with the prolonged treatment time( P <0. 01). Among these,the dyspnea improvement rates of groups with treatment time of 10 days,20 days and ≥ 30 days were higher than group with treatment time < 10 days,the dyspnea improvement rate of the group with treatment time ≥30days was higher than 10 days group( P < 0. 01). The incidence of adverse reactions was 7. 12 %. CONCLUSION: NPPV treatment could improve dyspnea symptoms of pneumoconiosis patients with less adverse reaction.