The vibration disease in workers of the aircraft enterprise: factors of the formation, clinical manifestations, social-psychological features (dynamic following-up)

Introduction. The vibration disease takes one of the leading places in the structure of the occupational morbidity in the Irkutsk region, its specific weight accounted of 21.1–35.9% of all newly revealed cases of occupational diseases in different years.

The purpose of the study is to investigate the socio-psychological features and manifestations of the vibration disease clinical syndromes in local vibration-exposed employees in the dynamic of observation.

Material and methods. The assessment of working conditions of employees in the aircraft enterprise, a coherent dynamic clinical and sociopsychological examination in employees with the occupational disease which continuing their work was carried out.

Results. Working conditions have not been changed; the levels of the occupational and labor process factors have remained the same in the dynamic. Clinical manifestations of vibration disease and neurosensory hearing loss, which is the second (accompanying) occupational disease, were shown to be aggravated in patients continuing to work in contact with local vibration. A significant prevalence of diseases of the musculoskeletal system and the circulatory system has been revealed. High levels of the personal and situational anxiety, hypochondriacal traits, instability of emotional state, the rigid stereotype of behavior-oriented to caring about physical well-being are registered in patients. A reduction of health-related quality of life scores characterizing the role of physical and emotional functioning has been established, that indicates the limitations in the performance of daily work due to the deterioration of the emotional state. 

Discussion. The significant prevalence of diseases of the musculoskeletal and circulatory systems in vibration disease patients is associated with both the irritating effect of the actual vibration and the severity of the work process and significant physical overloads. The study results of the psycho-emotional status, the health-related quality of life in vibration disease patients allow assuming a significant effect of the pain syndrome on the emotional state, decrease of the health-related quality of life, which is consistent with the other authors’ studies.

Conclusion. The study results show that it is necessary to remove workers from contact with vibration if the initial manifestations of vibration disease appear. Also, it is necessary to revise approaches to the secondary prevention of vibration disease, which should be aimed at preserving residual work capacity and medical and psychological adaptation of patients.