Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Occupational diseases in Poland — An overview of current trends

  • Original Papers
  • Published:
International Journal of Occupational Medicine and Environmental Health

Abstract

Introduction

The number of occupational diseases (OD) recorded in Poland in the 1990’s rapidly increased, and the number of recognized cases has steadily decreased until now. Hence, it was decided to demonstrate the trends of selected pathologies which in Poland are “underestimated” in comparison to other countries. The presented data may constitute a basis for further research into the dependence of OD on socio-economic factors.

Materials and Methods

Occupational Disease Reporting Forms, completed and sent obligatorily by the state health inspectors to the Central Register of Occupational Diseases were used as source documents for analysis. This work analyzes changes in the incidence of chronic poisonings, asbestosis, voice organ diseases, cancers, viral hepatitis, asthma and the musculoskeletal disorders over the years 1998–2011.

Results

In 1998, the total number of registered diseases reached the maximum — 12,017 cases, which fell in the subsequent years to 2,562 cases in 2011. During that period, the incidence rate decreased by 6 cases per year per 100,000 employees. A considerable decrease, exceeding 90% of cases, was observed in voice organ disorders, hearing loss, chronic poisonings and viral hepatitis. The abovementioned changes, as well as improved detection of asbestos-related diseases through implementing a medical examination program of former asbestos processing plant workers, are advantages of the current situation in the epidemiology of OD. However, the disadvantages include underestimation, in comparison to other countries, of asthma, cancer and pathologies of the musculoskeletal system.

Conclusion

The reported data indicates the need to assess the occupational fraction of the underestimated pathologies present in the work environment in Poland, as well as the need for studies aimed at clarifying the effect of systemic factors on identifying their occupational background.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Commission of the European Communities. Commission recommendation of 19/09/2003 concerning the European schedule of occupational diseases, Report No. C(2003) 3297. Brussels: Commission of the European Communities, 2003 [cited 2012 Sept 2]. Available from http://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/LexUriServ.do?uri=CELEX:32003H0670:EN:HTML.

    Google Scholar 

  2. Szeszenia-Dąbrowska N, Świątkowska B, Szubert Z, Wilczyńska U. Asbestos in Poland occupational health problems. Int J Occup Med Environ Health 2011;24(2):142–152.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  3. International Labour Office. Guidelines for the Use of ILO International Classification Radiographs of Pneumoconioses. Geneva: ILO; 1980.

    Google Scholar 

  4. Consensus Report. International expert meeting on new advances in radiology and screening of asbestos-related diseases. Scand J Work Environ Health 2000;26:449–454.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  5. Marek K. Principles of work capacity assessment in occupational respiratory diseases. Med Pr 2002;53(3):245–252 [in Polish].

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  6. Śliwińska-Kowalska M, Niebudek-Bogusz E, Fiszer M, Los-Spychalska T, Kotyło P, Sznurowska-Przygocka B, et al. The Prevalence and risk factors for occupational voice disorders in teachers. Folia Phoniatr Logop 2006;58:85–101.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  7. Sliwińska-Kowalska M, editor. Principles for opinioning on applicant’s capacity to perform jobs associated with exposure to noise and excessive vocal effort and diagnosing and preventing of hearing and vocal organ diseases. Warszawa: Centrum Medyczne Kształcenia Podyplomowego; 2011. p. 168 [in Polish].

    Google Scholar 

  8. Wilczyńska U, Szeszenia-Dąbrowska N. Occupational diseases among health and social workers in Poland. Med Pr 2010;61(6):597–605 [in Polish].

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  9. Bilski B. Viral hepatitis as an occupational disease in Poland. Hepat Mon 2011;11(7):539–543.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  10. Ayres JG, Boyd R, Cowie H, Hurley JF. Costs of occupational asthma in the UK. Thorax 2011;66(2):128–133.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  11. Fingerhut M, Nelson DI, Driscoll T, Concha-Barrientos M, Steenland K, Punnett L, et al. The contribution of occupational risk to the global burden of disease: summary and next steps. Med Lav 2006;97(2):313–321.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  12. Gautrin D, Newman-Taylor AJ, Nordman H, Malo JL. Controversies in epidemiology of occupational asthma. Eur Respir J 2003;22(3):551–559.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  13. Nelson DI, Concha-Barrientos M, Driscoll T, Steenland K, Fingerhut M, Punnett L, et al. The global burden of selected occupational diseases and injury risks: Methodology and summary. Am J Ind Med 2005;48(6):400–418.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  14. Jeebhay MF, Quirce S. Occupational asthma in the developing and industrialised world: A review. Int J Tuberc Dis 2007;11(2):122–133.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  15. Karjalainen A, Kurppa K, Martikainen R, Klaukka T, Karjalainen J. Work is related to a substantial portion of adult-onset asthma incidence in the Finnish population. Am J Respir Crit Care Med 2001;164(4):565–568.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  16. Karjalainen A, Niederlaender E. Occupational diseases in Europe in 2001. Statistics in focus — population and social conditions — 15/2004 [cited 2012 September 2]. Available from URL: http://epp.eurostat.ec.europa.eu/cache/ITY_OFFPUB/KS-NK-04-015/EN/KS-NK-04-015-EN.PDF

  17. Vandenplas O, Lantin AC, D’Alpaos V, Larbanois A, Hoet P, Bandeweerdt M, et al. Time trends in occupational asthma in Belgium. Respir Med 2011;105(9):1364–1372.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  18. Brhel P. Occupational respiratory diseases in the Czech Republic. Ind Health 2003;41(2):121–123.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  19. Karjalainen A, Kurppa K, Virtanen S, Keskinen H, Nordman H. Incidence of occupational asthma by occupation and industry in Finland. Am J Ind Med 2000;37(5):451–458.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  20. Wilczyńska U, Szeszenia-Dąbrowska N. Occupational bronchial asthma in Poland in 2003–2007. Przegl Lek 2008;65Suppl 2:1–4 [in Polish].

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  21. Lombardo LJ, Balmes JR. Occupational asthma: Review. Environ Health Perspect 2000;108Suppl 4:697–704.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  22. Doll R, Peto R. The causes of cancer quantitative estimates of avoidable risk of cancer in United States today. J Natl Cancer Inst 1981;66:1191–1308.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  23. Rushton L, Bagga S, Bevan R, Brown TP, Cherrie JW, Holmes P, et al. Occupation and cancer in Britain. Br J Cancer 2010;102(9):1428–1437.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  24. Boffetta P, Autier P, Boniol M, Boyle P, Hill C, Aurengo A, et al. An estimate of cancers attributable to occupational exposures in France. J Occup Environ Med 2010;52(4): 399–406.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  25. Dreyer L, Andersen A, Pukkala E. Avoidable cancers in Nordic countries. APMIS 1977;Suppl 76:68–79.

    Google Scholar 

  26. Vineis P, Simonato L. Proportion of lung and bladder cancer in males resulting from occupation: A systematic approach. Arch Environ Health 1991;46(1):6–15.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  27. Rushton L, Bagga S, Bevan R, Brown TP, Cherrie JW, Holmes P, et al. The burden of occupational cancer in Great Britain [cited 2012 Sept 2]. Health and Safety Executive 2010, RR800. Available from http://www.hse.gov.uk/research/rrpdf/rr800.pdf.

    Google Scholar 

  28. Fabianova E, Szeszenia-Dąbrowska N, Kjaerheim K, Boffetta P. Occupational cancer in Central European countries. Environ Health Perspect 1999;107(2):279–282.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  29. Bruske-Hohlfeld I. Occupational cancer in Germany. Environ Health Perspect 1999;107Suppl 2:253–258.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  30. Scarselli A, Scano P, Mariccio A, Iavicoli S. Occupational cancer in Italy: Evaluating the extent of compensated cases in period 1994–2006. Am J Ind Med 2009;52(11):859–867.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  31. Andersson E, Toren K. Pleural mesotheliomas are underreported as occupational cancer in Sweden. Am J Ind Med 1995;27:577–580.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  32. Skov T, Mikkelsen S, Svane O, Lynge E. Reporting of occupational cancer in Denmark. Scand J Work Environ Health 1990;16:401–405.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  33. Brugere J, Thebaud-Mony A, Pezerat H, Cassou B. Occupational cancers: Notification, compensation and prevention. Bull Cancer 1994;81(1):14–21 [in French].

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  34. Boffetta P. Occupational cancer epidemiology. G Ital Med Lav Ergon 2011;33(3):290–293.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  35. Rushton L, Hutchings S, Brown T. The burden of cancer at work estimation as the first step to prevention. Occup Environ Med 2008;65(12):789–800.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  36. Da Costa BR, Vieira ER. Risk factors for work-related musculoskeletal disorders: A systematic review of recent longitudinal studies. Am J Ind Med 2010;53(3):285–323.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  37. Muggleton JM, Allen R, Chappell PH. Hand and arm injuries associated with repetitive manual work in industry: A review of disorders, risk factors and preventive measures. Ergonomics 1999;42(5):714–739.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  38. Waersted M, Hanvold TN, Veiersted KB. Computer work and musculoskeletal disorders of the neck and upper extremity: A systematic review. BMC Musculoskelet Disord 2010;11:79.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  39. Szeszenia-Dąbrowska N, Wilczyńska U. Occupational diseases in the period of socioeconomic transition in Poland. Int J Occup Med Environ Health 2006;2:99–106.

    Google Scholar 

  40. Central Statistical Office. Employment in National Economy in 2009. Warszawa: GUS; 2010. p. 170 [in Polish].

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Occupational and Environmental Epidemiology, Central Register of Occupational Diseases, Nofer Institute of Occupational Medicine, Łódź, Poland

    Neonila Szeszenia-Dąbrowska & Urszula Wilczyńska

  2. Department of Occupational and Environmental Epidemiology, Central Register of Occupational Diseases, Nofer Institute of Occupational Medicine, św. Teresy 8, 91-348, Łódź, Poland

    Neonila Szeszenia-Dąbrowska

Authors
  1. Neonila Szeszenia-Dąbrowska
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Urszula Wilczyńska
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Neonila Szeszenia-Dąbrowska.

Additional information

This work was performed as part of the project “Monitoring of the cases of occupational diseases in Poland” (IMP 10.4/2012). Project manager: Prof. Neonila Szeszenia- Dąbrowska.

About this article

Cite this article

Szeszenia-Dąbrowska, N., Wilczyńska, U. Occupational diseases in Poland — An overview of current trends. IJOMEH 26, 457–470 (2013). https://doi.org/10.2478/s13382-013-0119-x

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/s13382-013-0119-x

Key words

Search

Navigation