Major health problems of expressway workers in Thailand: an 8-year cohort study.
OBJECTIVE
Workers in the transportation sector may be expose to environmental hazards resulting in adverse health outcomes. The present study aimed to assess environmental-hazard-related morbidity among transportation workers over an eight-year period


METHODS
Data were extracted from the registry database of a cohort of workers in the Expressway Authority of Thailand between 2004 and 2011. Annual trends and changes in health status were described. Factors associated with major health problems were also evaluated


RESULTS
The cohort consisted of 2,000 to 2,700 workers. The trend of abnormal lung function, abnormal hearing, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and asthma significantly increased over the period. Very few workers had high serum lead levels.


CONCLUSIONS
The present study revealed several major occupation-related health problems among transportation workers. In addition to an annual health assessment, other control measures should be instituted to protect workers from occupation-related exposures.
Chotima
C
Charusabha
Ketsaraporn
K
Thongpakdee
Natefa
N
Rakmanee
Pratap
P
Singhasivanon
Saranath
S
Lawpoolsri
D000328:Adult; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology*; D016273:Occupational Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects*; D012307:Risk Factors; D013785:Thailand / Q000453:epidemiology; D014186:Transportation