Relation between locomotion impairment, functional independence in retirement, and occupational strain resulting from work carried out during working life. Study of a sample population of 350 miners in the Loire valley in France.
OBJECTIVE
To analyse long term effects of working conditions experienced at an advanced age, and after retirement by quantifying occupational strain, impairment, and disability to establish their interrelation.


METHODS
Retrospective study.


METHODS
Retired miners from The French Coal Board who had worked in the coal fields of the Loire valley. From a potential population of 507 retired miners, 350 were completely evaluated.


METHODS
The study examines the occupational strain experienced by each subject, measured using both auto-evaluation and evaluation by experts and the locomotion impairment and the functional independence.


RESULTS
A significant relation between the evaluation of occupational strain and functional independence and locomotion impairment of the low back was found and also a significant relation between locomotion impairment of the low back and the length of time spent working at the coal face.


CONCLUSIONS
This study confirms other studies as regards the effects of occupation on health status and on the aging process, but it goes further to show the consequences of this relation on functional independence.
Calmels
P
P
Service de Médecine, Physique et Réadaptation, Hôpital Bellevue, CHRU de Saint-Etienne, France.
Ecochard
R
R
Blanchon
M A
MA
Charbonnier
C
C
Cassou
B
B
Gonthier
R
R
D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003032:Coal Mining; D015331:Cohort Studies; D006233:Persons with Disabilities; D005602:France / Q000453:epidemiology; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D009069:Movement Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology*; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013312:Stress, Physiological / Q000209:etiology; D013997:Time Factors