Telemetric Detection of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease and Investigation of Quality of Life for People Working in Shipbuilding Industry

INTRODUCTION Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) has a significant impact on quality of life-related health. AIM It was the detection of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease by using telemetric methods and the investigation of the quality of life for people working in Shipbuilding Industry compared with a control group. METHODS A group of one hundred men working in the shipbuilding industry aged 51.8 ± 8.2 years old and a control group of one hundred men of the general population aged 51.1 ± 6.4 years were studied. All participants completed the General Health Questionnaire - 28, the Fagerstrom test and a form with demographic characteristics. Pulmonary function test results were electronically sent to a specialist for evaluation. RESULTS People working in the shipbuilding zone had significantly lower values (p<0.001) in FVC, FEV1 and FEV1/FVC compared with the general population participants. Worse social functionality was exhibited by workers in the shipbuilding zone, people with elementary education, unemployed and by those suffering from comorbidities (p <0.001). CONCLUSIONS Health level and its individual dimensions are both associated with health self-assessment and occupational and economic status. The coexistence of chronic diseases and smoking dependence affects emotion and social functioning of individuals.