High medical consultation rates of lead workers after industrial dispute over lead effects.

Medical consultation rates were compared between a group of lead workers (346 males) and two groups of non-lead workers (317 and 329 males) in a newspaper company where a serious industrial dispute took place over health effects of lead three years before this study. The comparison was also made within the group of lead workers. Maximal blood lead concentrations (PbBs) ranged from 0.1 mumol/kg to 3.6 mumol/kg (74 microgram/100 g) with an average of 1.3 mumol/kg in the past three years. Ages averaged 35 years in lead workers, and 34 and 30 years in non-lead workers, the ranges being 19-55 years in all. The consultation rate of lead workers was significantly higher than that of both the non-lead workers (P less than 0.001), when the number of workers who consulted physicians or dentists once or more for a year per 100 workers (general consultation rate) was compared. Disease-specific consultation rates were also higher in lead workers for seven categories of diseases and injuries such as hypertensive disease and peptic ulcers. When lead workers were divided into three groups by PbB or erythrocytes delta-aminolevulinic acid dehydratase (ALAD) levels, however, no significantly high rate was found in the higher PhB groups not lower ALAD groups in terms of general and disease-specific consultation rates. It was concluded that the industrial dispute might have been a major cause of the high consultation rate of lead workers.