O6A.1 Aggregation of work-related health problems throughout working-life in a population-based sample of women. (April 2019)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Amaro, Joana; Monjardino, Teresa; Lucas, Raquel; Ubalde-Lopez, Mònica; Barros, Henrique
• Is Part Of: Occupational and environmental medicine. Volume 76(2019)Supplement 1
• Page Start: A50
• Page End: A51
• Publication Date: 2019-04
• Subjects: Medicine, Industrial -- Periodicals; Environmental health -- Periodicals; 616.980305
• DOI: 10.1136/OEM-2019-EPI.136
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1351-0711

Abstract

Abstract : Introduction: Multimorbidity potentiates a spectrum of adverse health outcomes that surpass those of individual diseases. However, little is known on disease aggregation related to occupational exposures. Objective: To assess the impact of life course occupational experience on health problem aggregation. Methods: We evaluated 4330 adult women at the 10-year-old follow-up wave of the population-based birth cohort Generation XXI, using a self-administered version of the Labour Force Survey item inquiring whether they had ever had a 'physical or mental health problem that was caused or made worse by your current work or any previous work' with 11 close-ended and one open-ended response options. Disease aggregation was assessed using principal components (PC) analysis and component scores were summarized by sociodemographic, anthropometric and work-related characteristics. Results: We identified five components to describe disease aggregation which accounted for 54.7% of observed variance. PC1 gathered all items on musculoskeletal disorders (back, upper and lower limb); participants with lower educational level, higher BMI, blue-collar jobs, working in the private sector, and with a history of occupational accidents scored higher in this component. PC2 gathered the item on mental disorders (including anxiety and depression) together with headache and/or eyestrain, and showed higher scores among women with higher educational level, white-collar jobs, and in the public sector. PC3 included the item on other disorders (comprising neurological, endocrine, autoimmune and voice-related) with some loading from digestive and hearing disorders, and showed higher scores in older and blue-collar workers. PC4 grouped respiratory with infectious diseases; it associated with working in the public sector and reporting work-related accident history. PC5 was composed by circulatory system conditions and associated with former smoking, higher BMI, and white-collar jobs. Conclusion: Work-related diseases aggregated in five distinct components, supporting the need for a shift from a disease-by-disease approach towards a worker-centered approach.