Shandong Province, The Coal Miners Gastrointestinal Disease Epidemiological Survey

OBJECTIVETo explore the epidemiologic features and risk factors for gastrointestinal diseases in coal miners so that to provide the primary epidemiologic data for the study of gastrointestinal diseases in coal miners.METHODS1. A questionnaire was carried out in 1357 coal miners randomly sampled from workers in Feicheng Coal-mining Area . The investigatees were divided into three groups:the coal excawators, the underground assistant workers and the topmen.2. Electrical gastroendoscopy or gastrointestinal X-ray examine was performed if any signs of gastrointestinal disease were indicated.3. To make the final diagnosis combined with the history of gastrointestinal diseases and the results of the essential examine.4. To diagnose the dysfunctional bowel disease according to Roman II diagnosis standard.5. To perform statistic analysis with the SPSS 10.0 software .Each rate was shown by percentage and was compared with by x2 test . The relative factors of the variety of disease were analyzed by logistic regression analysis .There was statistic significance when P<0.05.RESULTS1. The total prevalence of gastrointestinal diseases in the coalexcawators was 44. 57%, including esophagitis:8.75%, chronic gastritis: 30.79%,peptic ulcer:5.19%, duodenitis:1.30%, bile reflux: 4. 05%, functional constipation:8. 27%, functional diarrhea:6.00%, irritable bowel syndrome:7.46%, functional abdominal disten-tion:0.97%.2. The total prevalence of gastrointestinal diseases in the underground assistant workers was 41. 44%, including esophagitis: 4.67%, chronic gastritis:27. 43%, peptic ulcer:3. 98%, duodenitis: 0.39%, bile reflux:0.97%, functional constipation: 6. 82%, function diarrhea:5. 45%, irritable bowel syndrom:5. 06%, functional abdominal distention:l. 95%.3. The total prevalence of gastrointestinal diseases in the topmen was 29. 20%, including esophagitis:1. 77%, chronic gastritis:16. 37%, peptic ulcer: 3. 98%, duodenitis:0.88%, bile reflux:1. 33%, functional constipation:5. 75%, functional diarrhea:4. 42%, irritable bowel syndrome:3. 98%, functional abdominal distention:0. 88%.4. The prevalence rates in the three groups were tested by x2 test. The total prevalence rate of gastrointestinal diseases in the two groups working underground had no statistic difference while had significant difference between underground coal miners and topmen. The prevalence rate of esophagitis, chronic gastritis and bile reflux had statistic difference. While there was no difference in the prevalence rate of peptic ulcer, duodenitis, dysfunctional bowel diseases.5.The multi-factor logistic regresson analysis showed that the risk factors of the gastrointestinal diseases included the bad environment of underground working, heavy smoking, alcoholism, irregular sleeping ,NsAIDS- intaking, mental disorder etc. and theprotective factors included eating fresh vegetable, fruit, meat, egg, tea and the milk, sea products, age, cultural degree which had some relationship with gastrointestinal diseases. CONCLUSION1. the prevalence rate of gastrointestinal disease in coal miners is higher than that for the ordinary people, and the prevalence rate of gastrointestinal disease in underground coal miners is higher than that for the topmen. the coal excawators have the highest prevalence rate.2. The gastrointestinal diseases in coal miners are associated with a variety of factors such as working underground, irregular living habits, usually eating NsAIDS, psychologic disorder and cultural degree etc.3. The reasons of the prevalence of partial gastrointestinal diseases among three groups having no statistic difference may be related to the weaken of mental health of the topmen.