title: Health related quality of life and influencing factors among welders.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Occupational exposure to welding fumes is a serious occupational health problem all over the world. Welders are exposed to many occupational hazards; these hazards might cause some occupational diseases. The aim of the study was to assess the health related quality of life (HRQL) of electric welders in Shanghai China and explore influencing factors to HRQL of welders.
  
  
  METHODS
  301 male welders (without pneumoconiosis) and 305 non-dust male workers in Shanghai were enrolled in this study. Short Form-36 (SF-36) health survey questionnaires were applied in this cross-sectional study. Socio-demographic, working and health factors were also collected. Multiple stepwise regress analysis was used to identify significant factors related to the eight dimension scores.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Six dimensions including role-physical (RP), bodily pain (BP), general health (GH), validity (VT), social function (SF), and mental health (MH) were significantly worse in welders compared to non-dust workers. Multiple stepwise regress analysis results show that native place, monthly income, quantity of children, drinking, sleep time, welding type, use of personal protective equipment (PPE), great events in life, and some symptoms including dizziness, discomfort of cervical vertebra, low back pain, cough and insomnia may be influencing factors for HRQL of welders. Among these factors, only sleep time and the use of PPE were salutary.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Some dimensions of HRQL of these welders have been affected. Enterprises which employ welders should take measures to protect the health of these people and improve their HRQL.
authors.affiliation: Baoshan Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Shanghai, China.
authors.forename: Jingxiang
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Qin
authors.affiliation: Baoshan Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Shanghai, China.
authors.forename: Wuzhong
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Baoshan Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Shanghai, China.
authors.forename: Jun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.affiliation: Baoshan Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Shanghai, China.
authors.forename: Wei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Weng
authors.affiliation: Shanghai No. 6 People's Hospital, Shanghai, China.
authors.forename: Jiaming
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.affiliation: Department of Preventive Medicine, College of Medicine, University, Shanghai, China.
authors.forename: Zisheng
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Ai
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002681:China; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016273:Occupational Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects*; D011788:Quality of Life; D014896:Welding; D055815:Young Adult