[Occupational diseases in Poland, 2010].

BACKGROUND

The aim of the paper was to present basic statistical data on occupational diseases diagnosed in 2010.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

The work was based on the data compiled from "Occupational Disease Reporting Forms" received by the Central Register of Occupational Diseases in 2010. The data comprised information on nosologic units, gender and age of patients, and duration of occupational exposure to harmful agents responsible for the development of specified pathologies. These data were further classified by sectors of the national economy and voivodeships. The incidence was specified in terms of the number of cases in relation to paid employees or to employed persons.

RESULTS

The number of occupational diseases diagnosed in 2010 accounted for 2933 cases. The incidence rate was 28.3 cases per 100 000 paid employees. The highest incidence rates were noted for pneumoconioses (7.6/100,000), infectious and parasitic diseases (7/100 000), hearing loss (3.2/100,000) and chronic voice disorders (3.1/100,000). As many as 77% of patients affected by occupational diseases had been exposed to harmful agents for longer than 20 years. In industrial sectors of the national economy, the highest incidence rate was noted in mining and quarrying (368.2/100,000). Taking into account geographic distribution of occupational diseases, the highest incidence was recorded in the Silesian and the lowest in the Mazovian voivodeships (79.7 and 9.7 cases per 100 000 employed persons, respectively).

CONCLUSIONS

A decrease of 213 (6.8%) cases of occupational diseases and a decrease of 5.4% in their incidence rate over previous year were noted. The greatest drop in the number of cases was noted in chronic voice disorders (of 302 cases--48.5%) and the greatest rise in pneumonioses (of 156 cases--24.6%).