2011). So, we assume if professionals have more extensive and longer exposure compared to volunteers,
they have a higher risk of these hazards and consequently for cardiovascular risk factors. In the limited amount of literature published about ageing fire fighters, older fire fighter groups were found to experience significantly higher emotional and mental demands than their younger colleagues, in addition to the musculoskeletal problems described above (Sluiter and Frings-Dresen 2007). Until now, little insight has been available to assess which subgroups of fire fighters are at higher risk of experiencing work-related diminished health requirements. Thus, the research question addressed by this study is the following: Which subgroups of fire fighters are prone to work-related diminished health requirements? LCZ696 datasheet For the different subgroups, we hypothesized that: Women fire fighters are more prone to diminished health requirements when compared to men fire fighters. Professional fire fighters are more prone to diminished health requirements when compared to volunteer fire fighters. The oldest fire fighters are more prone to diminished health requirements when compared
to the youngest and middle-aged fire fighters. If subgroups have a higher chance for a specific diminished health requirement, that part of WHS can be given more attention in that subgroup in future. This so-called high-risk approach will lead to more efficient health screening.
Methods Procedure and participants Three regional fire departments throughout the Netherlands were SCH772984 nmr selected with the help of a National Steering Group for the fire-fighting sector. Within these three fire departments, a total of 3,000 fire fighters were active. From these fire departments, a total sample of 1,100 fire fighters stratified for gender, professionalism (volunteer or professional) and age was invited to participate in the study. Of those invited fire fighters, 278 confirmed participation after receiving information about the study and Oxalosuccinic acid signed informed consent. The ethics committee of the Academic Medical Center approved the study. Health requirements The fire fighters participated in a WHS in which all of the health requirements necessary for appropriate job performance were MAPK inhibitor measured according to newly proposed guidelines. All tested health requirements were work-related: on the one hand, they might have been caused by the occupation; on the other hand, if they are diminished, they might influence job performance. The health requirements were divided into the categories of ‘psychological’, ‘physical’, ‘sense-related’ and cardiovascular risk factors. Each health requirement was coupled to relevant health concepts and assessed using several measures. The criteria used to identify the diminished health requirements are listed in Table 1.