Self-employment in joinery: An occupational risk facor?

• Authors: Francois-Xavier Lesage , Julie Salles , Frederic Deschamps

Abstracts

EN

Objectives: Only a few studies have analyzed the health of self-employed workers. This cross-sectional study is the first to compare health status among craftsmen joiners and paid joiners. Material and Methods: Clinical and paraclinical data for self-employed craftsmen and employees were collected by occupational health doctors according to a standardized protocol and compared. Health data and professional status relationships were analyzed by logistic regression. Results: A total of 171 craftsmen and 196 paid workers were included. Craftsmen had more dermatologic pathologies (odds ratio (OR) = 2.67, p < 0.05), ear/nose/throat symptoms (OR = 3.38, p < 0.001), pulmonary symptoms (OR = 2.46, p < 0.05), musculoskeletal symptoms (OR = 3.09, p < 0.001), and abnormal audiogram (OR = 3.50, p < 0.001). The FEV₁ was significantly lower among craftsmen (p < 0.01), independently of tobacco smoke exposure. Conclusions: This survey highlights a high morbidity rate among self-employed craftsmen, suggesting that among woodworkers, professional status can be a risk factor for health. The preventive medical system for craftsmen has to be rethought to guarantee better safety for this population.

Keywords

EN

risk factor; craftsmen; self-employed workers; woodworking; joiners; occupational medicine

• Publisher: Instytut Medycyny Pracy im. prof. dra Jerzego Nofera w Łodzi
• Journal: International Journal of Occupational Medicine and Environmental Health
• Year: 2014
• Volume: 27
• Issue: 3
• Pages: 355-363

Dates

published

2014

Contributors

author

Francois-Xavier Lesage

• Department of Occupational Diseases, University Hospital of Reims, Reims, France

author

Julie Salles

• Department of Occupational Diseases, University Hospital of Reims, Reims, France

author

Frederic Deschamps

• Department of Occupational Diseases, University Hospital of Reims, Reims, France

Identifiers

DOI

10.2478/s13382-014-0261-0

Biblioteka Nauki

2178845