Prediction of Occupational Fluorosis in Aluminum Production Workers in View of Comorbidities

Abstract

Introduction: Modern research on occupational medicine has shown that general diseases contribute the most to health deterioration in workers of hazardous industries and significantly affect the timing of the onset of occupational diseases. Objective: To assess the impact of comorbid disorders on the probability of occupational fluoride toxicity in aluminum production workers. Materials and methods: The paper describes existing international scales used to assess comorbid disorders and emphasizes the relevance of publications on the comorbidity of workers of hazardous and harmful industries. The comorbidity index was calculated for each of 201 aluminum production workers. Comorbidity index calculations, health indicators, and parameters of working conditions were entered in the electronic database. The article presents a method for determining the probability of occupational disease development using a logistic regression. Results: A prognostic model was built using a logistic regression and comorbidity indices to determine the influence of human body systems on the probability of developing occupational fluoride poisoning (fluorosis). Conclusion: Using the logistic regression, we have determined combinations of comorbidity indices having a strongest effect on the probability of fluoride poisoning for prediction and implementation of appropriate preventive measures. To reduce the likelihood of occupational diseases, it is necessary to treat comorbid disorders in workers of harmful industries.