[Study on mental capacity among workers in chemical industry system].
OBJECTIVE
To study the mental capacity and its influential factors among workers in chemical industry system (CIS).


METHODS
One hundred and one workers were selected from CIS by systematic sampling. Then their mental capacity was measured using 4 indices: short-time memory, decode, AYP and mental functional index (MFI).


RESULTS
Normality test revealed that the data of CIS workers' mental capacity displayed a profile approximate to normal distribution. All the levels of the four indices measured in the CIS workers aged more than 40 years were lower than those in workers aged less than 40 years (P < 0.01). All the levels of indices gradually increased with the increase of educational level (P < 0.01). Among the workers doing different types of work, the mental workers had the highest level in all indices while physical workers had the lowest level, but only the difference in respect to MFI was significant (P < 0.05). Female CIS workers had higher level in all indices than male; the differences were significant except that in short-time memory (P < 0.01). Mental capacity was noted to have significantly negative correlation with age and significantly positive correlation with educational level (P < 0. 01).


CONCLUSIONS
Increasing CIS workers' educational level is a very important approach to the improvement of their mental capacity and hence the upgrading of their work ability.
Xiao
Yuan-mei
YM
Department of Occupational Medicine, West China School of Public Health, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China.
Wang
Zhi-ming
ZM
Wang
Mian-zhen
MZ
Lan
Ya-jia
YJ
D000328:Adult; D002617:Chemical Industry; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008570:Memory, Short-Term / Q000502:physiology; D008606:Mental Processes / Q000502:physiology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D013647:Task Performance and Analysis; D014888:Wechsler Scales; D014938:Work Capacity Evaluation