Evaluation of the effect of occupational exposure ofworkers working in open mining operations on daily life,physical activity and respiratory function

With the increase in industrialization, mining activities gained more speed. Open and closed mining activities are the most dangerous business activities in the world. In our research, we aimed to evaluate the daily life, physical activity, and respiratory functions of workers working in open sand mines. In this study, which was carried out in Muğla/Milas between 5 December 2021 and 10 June 2022, consisted of 31 people between the ages of 30-50, who were exposed to working in a sand mine for at least 3 years, and 31 people in the control group, who worked in different jobs. A total of 62 participants were included. Occupational and Environmental Lung Diseases Evaluation Form for all participants in the workplace and environment to measure respiratory symptoms and exposure. The Pulmonary Function Test was used to measure respiratory functions, and the St George's Respiratory Questionnaire was utilized to determine the losses in quality of life that occupational exposure may have caused, and also the participants' everyday routines. The London Chest Activities of Daily Living Scale was used to assess the impairments in the participants' activities of daily living. The International Physical Activity Questionnaire was used to determine the physical activity level of the participants. Upper Trunk Posture Analysis and Thoracic Expansion Evaluation were used for thoracic mobility and posture analysis. Modified Borg Scale was used to determine the severity of dyspnea experienced by the participants in the last week. It was agreed to use the Borg Scale. According to the spirometry results made in the respiratory evaluation of the study, no significant difference was found between the exposed group and the control group (FVC (L) , FVC (%) , FEV1 (L) , FEV1 (%) , FEF25-75 (L) parameters for p ≥ 0.05 and FEF25-75 (%) , FEV1/FVC, PEF (L) and PEF (%) parameters for p ≥ 0.05). A significant negative correlation was found between the activity section of the Saint George Respiratory Questionnaire and FEF25-75 (%) percent and FEV1/FVC values in the connection between the Saint George Respiratory Questionnaire and pulmonary function parameters, respectively; r = -.37, p = 0.03 ve r = -0.39, p= 0.03. No significant correlation was found between other daily life and physical activity questionnaires, p ≥ 0.05 for all parameters and values. A negative significant correlation was found between the Modified Borg Scale result of the exposed group and the FEV1/FVC value, r = -0.41, p = 0.02. As a result, no exposure-sord association was discovered in our study when the participants working in open pit mines and assumed to have had occupational exposure were compared to the control group in terms of respiration, daily living, and physical activity.