[Evaluation of health status in inhabitants of the protected zone near a steel mill. I. Incidence of certain diseases].

The state of health, with use of precise epidemiological criteria, of 232 inhabitants of villages located in the protective zone of Nowa Huta Steel-Mill was estimated. The reference group consisted of 137 inhabitants of Tokarnia village, matched with sex, age and occupation. Examinations were performed in the standard clinical conditions, including uniform set of criteria used to establish diagnosis for each subject of examination. It was found that the most important threat for their health were cardiovascular and/or respiratory tract diseases. Among diagnosed illnesses the most important place was occupied by arteriosclerosis in both sexes, arterial hypertension among women and chronic bronchitis as well as emphysema of lungs in men. Inhabitants of the protective zone had generally higher incidence of above mentioned diseases than inhabitants of Tokarnia.