Abstract

REYES GARCIA, María Elena. Morbidity from occupational chronic nodular laryngitis in Cuban educators. Rev Cubana Hig Epidemiol [online]. 2006, vol.44, n.1. ISSN 0253-1751.

An epidemiologic, observational and retrospective study of the epidemiologic profile of morbidity from occupational chronic nodular laryngitis diagnosed in Cuba from 1998 to 2003 was conducted by using the “Declaration of Occupational Disease” form of the occupational disease surveillance system of the Ministry of Public Health. 841 cases with an incidence rate between 11.58 and 5.60 x10 3 exposed individuals were diagnosed. The most affected groups were women (92.0, with an incidence rate from 15.79 to 9.57 x 10 3 ); the technicians and professionals (97.2) and the primary school teachers (81.68, with an incidence rate between 26.8 and 11.9 x 10 3 ). The occupational use of the voice was excessive and the working conditions were inadequate in most of the cases. Even when the frequency and severity of the disease tends to decrease, 94 % presented work disability. That' s why, it is considered as an occupational health problem in the Cuban educational sector to be included in the occupational safety and health management systems.

Keywords : Occupational diseases; epidemiologic surveillance; chronic nodular laryngitis; working morbidity; teaching.

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