title: Which subgroups of fire fighters are more prone to work-related diminished health requirements?
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine whether certain subgroups of fire fighters are prone to work-related diminished health requirements.
  
  
  METHODS
  The health requirements for fire-fighting were tested in a workers' health surveillance (WHS) setting. These health requirements included psychological, physical and sense-related components as well as cardiovascular risk factors. The odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (95% CI) for the presence of the diminished health requirements were calculated for the subgroups of gender, professionalism and age.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The prevalence of diminished psychological requirements was equivalent among the subgroups, and no significant high-risk group was identified. As compared to men fire fighters, women fire fighters were more likely to have diminished physical requirements (OR 28.5; 95% CI 12.1-66.9) and less likely to have cardiovascular risk factors (OR 0.3; 0.1-0.5). As compared to volunteer fire fighters, professionals were less likely to have diminished physical requirements (OR 0.5; 0.3-0.9), but professionals had a higher prevalence of cardiovascular risk factors with an odds ratio of 1.9 (1.1-3.2). As compared to the youngest fire fighters, the oldest fire fighters were more likely to have diminished sense-related requirements (OR 7.1; 3.4-15.2); a similar comparison could be made between oldest and middle-aged fire fighters (OR 5.1; 2.5-10.5). In addition, the oldest fire fighters were more likely to have cardiovascular risk factors when compared to the youngest (OR 4.4; 1.7-11.1) and to the middle-aged fire fighters (OR 3.1; 1.2-7.9).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Subgroups (gender, professionalism and age) of fire fighters are prone to at least one specific work-related diminished health requirement. Therefore, parts of the WHS could be applied with more attention to these high-risk groups.
authors: Coronel Institute of Occupational Health, Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands. m.j.plat@amc.nl
authors: Marie-Christine J
authors: MJ
authors: Plat
authors: Monique H W
authors: MH
authors: Frings-Dresen
authors: Judith K
authors: JK
authors: Sluiter
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000209:etiology; D005260:Female; D061388:Firefighters; D005783:Gender Identity; D006801:Humans; D007587:Job Description; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000209:etiology* / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000523:psychology; D016273:Occupational Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects*; D016272:Occupational Health / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D010809:Physical Fitness; D011159:Population Surveillance; D012307:Risk Factors; D012737:Sex Factors; D014838:Volunteers; D014937:Work; D017132:Workplace