The study object is workers in main and auxiliary occupations exposed to carcinogens. The aim of the study is to assess knowledge, attitudes and practices of workers in carcinogenic hazardous industries in prevention of occupational health risks and to identify associations with socio-demographic characteristics, behavioral factors and objective working conditions. A cross sectional descriptive analytical study was carried out using a specially developed author’s structured questionnaire based on the Knowledge, Attitude, Practice (KAP) model. As a result, we have identified substantial gaps in awareness, heterogeneity of risk perception and a gap between knowledge and actual behavior. Workers’ awareness of occupational carcinogenic risks is insufficient, especially among older age groups and those with lower education. Workers tend to overestimate individual sensory-noticeable factors (noise, dust, and microclimate) and to underestimate the chemical hazard and the overall occupational risk. The attitude towards prevention is generally favorable, with predominant trust in the employer and in personal protective equipment (PPE). High PPE availability and declared frequency of use do not guarantee safe behavior due to ergonomic discomfort and the lack of a direct link between knowledge and practices. The key barriers are inconvenience and thermal discomfort. Hygiene practices are generally observed at a high level; however, workers who recognize a serious impact of work on health more often wash their workwear at home. We have revealed increased prevalence of smoking among women and a high proportion of electronic cigarette users among young workers, as well as a high proportion of workers engaged in night shifts, which are additional carcinogenic risk factors. To improve effectiveness of prevention, it is necessary not only to provide information, but also to remove barriers that impede compliance with safety measures; to organize centralized laundering of workwear with quality control, and to build trust in organizational protective measures. Training programs should focus on identifying carcinogens and exposure pathways, forming clear algorithms for translating knowledge into action, and paying special attention to older age groups and those with lower education. At the same time, targeted programs to reduce smoking prevalence should be developed for female workforce, and programs to prevent electronic cigarette use among young people are also needed.
The aim of this study was to assess the feasibility of estimating rheographic biological age as an age equivalent of he-modynamic risk and to internally validate its association with long-term mortality. The study included data from 2,655 examined individuals, including 1,235 women and 1,420 men. Survival analysis was performed in a subsample of 2,342 observations with available follow-up data. During the follow-up period, 347 deaths were registered. Anthropometric, hemodynamic and rheographic parameters, as well as derived indices, were used as input features. For comparison, age approximation models were applied, including ridge regression, elastic net, an ensemble of extremely randomized trees and KDM-PC. The final RheoBA-Cox model for rheographic biological age was developed as an age equivalent of hemodynamic risk based on the Cox proportional hazards model. Internal validation was performed using five-fold cross-validation. Adding RheoBA-Cox acceleration to the model including chronological age and sex increased the C-index from 0.773 to 0.815. Each 5-year increase in ΔRheoBA-Cox was associated with a 36 % increase in the risk of death. The hazard ratio was 1.36; 95 % confidence interval 1.29–1.44; p = 2.1•10-29. RheoBA-Cox enables biological age to be estimated as an age equivalent of hemodynamically determined risk rather than as a simple reconstruction of chronological age. Acceleration of RheoBA-Cox was associated with long-term mortality independently of chronological age and sex, which allows the model to be considered a promising tool for risk-oriented assessment of the functional state of the cardiovascular system.
Polymorphisms of antioxidant genes and xenobiotic metabolizing enzymes largely determine individual sensitivity to industrial and environmental pollutants. This study aims to examine and systematize current knowledge on the role of poly-morphisms of antioxidant genes and xenobiotic metabolizing enzymes in the development of genetic sensitivity to industrial pollutants. We conducted an in-depth search for scientific publications in the eLIBRARY.RU, PubMed, and Google Scholar databases and selected 32 papers for inclusion in this review. We found that the studies generally focus on certain functional classes of genes: phase I biotransformation, phase II biotransformation, antioxidant defense, and regulatory factors. It should be noted that they either examine the exposure – disease relationship or aim to identify the interplay between various polymorphisms, ROS, and regulatory networks. Aggregated data prove that polymorphisms of antioxidant and xenobiotic-metabolizing genes modify the risk and severity of diseases related to industrial pollutants. There remain, however, methodological challenges, such as heterogeneity of study designs, differences in exposure assessment, ethnic specificity of allele frequencies, and the potential influence of polygenic background. The investigation of polymorphisms in antioxidant defense genes and the xenobiotic biotransformation system is of fundamental importance for understanding why some individuals and occupatinal groups are more susceptible to exposure to industrial and environmental pollutants. This knowledge allows for the development of a concept of genetically determined susceptibility, refinement of risk assessment, and the foundation for personalized prevention in environmental and occupational health.
Ownerless landfills of former economic activities are sources of environmental pollution and human health risks. They are to be eliminated in all regions in Russia. The aim of this study was to assess human health risks caused by ownerless landfills of household and mixed wastes in the Rostov region in order to establish the order and urgency of their elimination. The study covered 35 objects of accumulated environmental damage (hereinafter brownfields) labeled as ‘landfills’ or ‘abandoned objects for storage of solid household wastes’. Health risks were assessed using a methodology that ensured integration of more than 100 heterogeneous indicators in consolidated calculation including more than 1030 instrumental examinations. The results were analyzed using the fuzzy set theory. The objects were categorized according to the level of health risk. The following pollutants were identified in wastes in practically all brownfields: oil products (up to 200 mg/kg of wastes); polymers (up to 47,000 mg/kg), benzo(a)pyrene (up to 0.50 mg/kg); toxic metals including chromium (up to 5.0 mg/kg), manganese (up to 200 mg/kg), copper (up to 10 mg/kg), arsenic (0.2 mg/kg), nickel (up to 50 mg/kg) and others. The highest levels of soil contamination were established in nearest areas and residential housing influenced by brownfields per benzo(a)pyrene (up to 6 MPC),chromium (up to 6 MPC), cadmium (up to 1.5 MPC), and arsenic (1.1 MPC). Unacceptable (including high) risk levels (reaching 14 HQ) were revealed as a result of ambient air pollution near brownfields. In some cases, levels of microbial contamination corresponded to ‘extremely hazardous’ (100–10,000 CFU/g). Six out of 35 examined brownfields were assigned into the ‘low risk’ category (R = 0.19–0.22). Twenty-one were characterized as ‘moderate risk objects’ (R = 0.23–0.34). Eight brownfields created the most substantial human health risks (R = 0.35–0.48) and were assigned into the ‘medium risk’ category. Inclusion of health risk indicators in assessment of brownfields makes it more objective and should become a relevant criterion for making plans to reclaim them. Until all ownerless landfills are eliminated completely, the key task for regional authorities is to implement prevention programs aimed at mitigating human health risks in adjacent areas.
The study object was represented by metallurgical production workers undergoing periodic medical examinations under exposure to a complex of occupational and work-related factors. The aim of the study was to assess the probability of detecting somatic pathology in metallurgical production workers exposed to a complex of occupational and non-occupational factors using machine learning, in order to scientifically substantiate approaches to forming preventive observation groups. A cross-sectional epidemiological study included 1,899 workers. Age, length of service in harmful working conditions, smoking status, and 32 binary occupational exposure variables were used as input predictors. Clinical, laboratory, and instrumental indicators used for diagnostic verification were excluded from the model to prevent artificial overestimation of predictive accuracy. CatBoost was applied for prediction, SHAP analysis for interpreting predictor contributions, and ANFIS for formalizing the identified dependencies. Model performance was assessed using AUC-ROC, sensitivity, and specificity. Musculoskeletal diseases and circulatory system diseases prevailed in the structure of detected pathology. The best dis-criminative ability was obtained for diseases of the ear and mastoid process (AUC-ROC = 0.820), musculoskeletal diseases (0.746), and circulatory system diseases (0.722). Models for respiratory, digestive, eye, and nervous system diseases did not demonstrate sufficient predictive performance for practical interpretation. SHAP analysis showed that age made the greatest contribution to prediction; among occupational and behavioral factors, work hardness, occupational noise, and smoking were the most significant. ANFIS modeling made it possible to construct length-of-service risk profiles and identify factor combinations associated with an increased probability of ear, musculoskeletal, and circulatory system diseases. The proposed approach can be used for preliminary risk stratification during periodic medical examinations, formation of follow-up groups, and substantiation of indications for more detailed examination according to the most relevant pathology profile.
