Turk Kardiyol Dern Ars. 2015; 43(4): 361-367 | DOI: 10.5543/tkda.2015.27974

Levels of knowledge among metal sector workers about occupational and general cardiovascular risk factors

Muhammet Gürdoğan¹, Eylem Paslı Gürdoğan², Hasan Arı³, Mehmet Ertürk⁴, Ahmet Genç⁵, Mehmet Fatih Uçar^6
1Health And Safety Unit, Lüleburgaz, Kırklareli, Türkiye
²Trakya Univercity, Faculty of Health Sciences, Edirne, Turkey
³Department of Cardiology, Bursa Postgraduate Hospital, Bursa, Turkey
⁴Department of Cardiology, Mehmet Akif Ersoy Thoracic And Cardiovascular Surgery Training And Research Hospital, İstanbul, Turkey
⁵Department of Cardiology, Training And Research Hospital,antalya, Turkey
⁶Department Of Cardiology, Edirne State Hospital, Edirne, Turkey

OBJECTIVE
Long-term exposure to physical, chemical, ergo-nomic and psychosocial environmental factors may lead to occupational cardiovascular diseases in metal sector wurkers. The objective of this study is to determine knowledge levels among metal sector workers regarding occupational and cardiovascular risk factors.

METHODS
The study was conducted between 2nd and 6th June 2014 with the participation of 82 workers. All were working in a medium-sized workplace in the metal industry. Data were collected by means of a questionnaire, which included socio-demographic characteristics and occupational cardiovascular risk factors, and a scale developed by Arıkan et al. to measure knowledge levels of risk factors for cardiovascular diseases (CARRF-KL).

RESULTS
The mean age of workers was 39.97±8.44. Of the participants, 58.5% stated that they had known cardiac disease risk factors. The mean CARRF-KL score was found to be 18.65±4.04. The percentage of workers stating that they had no knowledge on the occupational risks for such diseases was 79.3%, while 19.5% of them stated that job stress caused cardiac diseases. One individual (1.2%) stated that one of the chemi¬cal solvents used in the working environment was a risk factor.

CONCLUSION
Although knowledge level among metal industry em¬ployees regarding cardiovascular risk factors was above average, it was understood that they had not adequate informa¬tion on occupational risk factors. Prolonged exposure to environmental factors without taking necessary measures constitutes a risk for cardiovascular disease. The elaboration of this information is important with respect to preventive cardiology.

Keywords: Questionnaires, educational status; coronary disease/ prevention & control; metallurgy; risk factors; health knowledge, at¬titudes, practice; health attitude; health behaviors

---

CITE