Physicians’ knowledge on the work-related chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

Abstract

Background: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) may be induced by the work environment conditions. According to the estimates, 10–20% of all COPD cases are associated with occupational exposure to dusts and irritant gases. However, in 2014, only 11 cases of work-related COPD were recognized in Poland. The aim of the study was to analyze the reasons for the low incidence of work-related COPD in the context of pulmonologists’ knowledge about occupational risk factors and procedures on reporting suspected occupational diseases. Material and Methods: A survey included 94 pulmonologists randomly selected out of 225 specialists registered at the Local Physicians Chamber in Łódź. The study was performed anonymously with the use of original questionnaire. Results: More than a half of the surveyed pulmonologists identified environmental risk factors for COPD correctly, while only 23.4% properly identified the main occupational risk factors as the cause of COPD. Only 58.5% of the pulmonologists always asked their patients suffering from COPD about their job/profession and 60.6% of them did not have any knowledge about procedures on reporting suspected occupational diseases. Conclusions: The physicians rarely ask patients suffering from COPD about their job/profession and the relationship between their ailments and occupational exposure. What is more, they do not know legal regulations on proper referral of a patient with a suspected case of occupational disease. The results of the study clearly indicate that there is an urgent need for increasing pulmonologists’ knowledge on work-related COPD. Med Pr 2016;67(3):375–384

Keywords

• occupational disease
• COPD
• chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
• medical certification
• dusts
• irritant gases