INTRO Cardiovascular Risk Factors Among Maine's Logging Workforce Health Screening Results from Maine Loggers' Health and Safety Study

Abstract

Cardiovascular Risk Factors Among Maine’s Logging Workforce
Background
Despite technology and mechanization reducing some workplace hazards, logging is still one of the most dangerous civilian occupations in the United States. Less is known about their overall health status as evidence about health has mostly been gathered through surveys and questionnaires.
Objective(s)
This research reports on in-person physical health assessments and self-reported health data collected among Maine logging workers, as part of a larger longitudinal study.
Methods
Health assessments, completed with a sub-cohort from the overall study, were conducted at pop-up clinics in logging locations around the State of Maine in Spring 2019. Data about physical health measures included a physical exam, vitals, cholesterol and glucose testing, audiometry screening, vision, and carbon monoxide screening. In addition, loggers completed a health questionnaire, which included questions about their own health as well as family health history.
Results
The majority of the 75 logging health assessment participants were men (97.1%) with a median age of 46, and a mean BMI of 30.6 kg/m2 (SD 4.9). More than 90% of them had elevated blood pressure, with over 30% at stage I hypertension and nearly half at stage II hypertension (45.9%). More than a third (38.4%) presented at least a single joint abnormality. About half of the loggers presented high-frequency hearing loss (left 53.5%, right 42.3%).
Conclusion
Cardiovascular and musculoskeletal risk factors among loggers should be addressed in future research interventions.

Full text

INTRO
While logging is known to be one of the most
dangerous civilian occupations, less is known
about the impact of work mechanization on
chronic disease risk factors of loggers. This
study reports cardiovascular disease (CVD)
risk factors among Maine loggers.
METHODS
Physical health assessments
and surveys collected at:
Logging company garages
(4 locations)
Logger Trade Show
RESULTS
DISCUSSION/LIMITATIONS
Sample size was impacted by cancellation of data
collection due to the pandemic
“White coat syndrome” may have impacted blood
pressure measurements.
Cholesterol and glucose levels were good
Need to assess noise exposure at work as a
possible effect for hypertension
Need to analyze body fat percentage for providing
a better picture for health than BMI
The industry needs to keep their workers healthy
and attract the new generations
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Cardiovascular Risk Factors Among
Maine’s Logging Workforce
Health Screening Results from Maine
Loggers’ Health and Safety Study
PRESENTER: Cristina S. Hansen-Ruiz
Funding for this study is provided by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (2U54OH007542)
through the Northeast Center for Occupational Health and Safety: Agriculture, Forestry and Fishing. This poster
is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of NIOSH.
Cristina S. Hansen-Ruiz
Judy Graham
Kevin Luschen
Liane Hirabayashi
Erika Scott
AUTHORS
Maine loggers show signs of
cardiovascular disease through
weight, high blood pressure,
and Mallampati score
Blood Pressure Systolic
(mm Hg)
and/or Diastolic
(mm Hg)
N %
Normal <120 and <80 6 8.1
Elevated 120-129 and <80 8 10.8
Hypertension I 130-139 or 80-89 26 35.1
Hypertension II ≥140 or ≥90 34 45.6
n %
Visual
description
(Class)
34 45.3
23 30.7
10 13.3
8 10.7
I
II
III
IV
Figure 1. Comparison of hypertension, obesity, and high total
cholesterol between loggers and a comparative national sample
REFERENCE
Scott E, Hirabayashi L, Graham J, Krupa N, Jenkins P. Not Quite Out of the Woods:
Overall Health and Chronic Disease Risk Factors among Maine Logging Workers. J
Occup Environ Med. 2022;64(3):236-242.
https://journals.lww.com/joem/Fulltext/2022/03000/Not_Quite_Out_of_the_Woods__Overall_Health_and.8.aspx
97.1% 2.9%
Glucose (non fasting) =106.6 g/dL (SD 26.1)
HDL (non fasting) =42.6 g/dL (SD 8.9)
Total cholesterol (non fasting) =157.8 g/dL
(SD 33.2)
Cholesterol ratio (total/HDL) (non fasting) =
3.8 (SD 0.9)
No significant correlation between
Mallampati scores and hypertension
(p=0.2377)
Mallampati scores are significantly
associated with higher BMI (p=0.0038) and
age (p=0.0045)
Significant difference in BMI across the four
levels of hypertension (omnibus p=0.0103)
Significant difference (p=0.04) in BMI
between the hypertensive type I (29.1 kg/m2)
and the hypertensive type II (32.6 kg/m2)
Table 1. Blood Pressure
Table 2.
Mallampati
Score
Age =46 years
BMI =30.6 kg/m2(SD 4.9)
Waist to hip ratio =0.95
(SD 0.07)