AUTHOR=Stoleski Sasho , Minov Jordan , Mijakoski Dragan , Brborović Hana , Milošević Milan , Žaja Roko 

TITLE=COPD prevalence and characteristics among sample of working population

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Public Health

VOLUME=Volume 13 - 2025

YEAR=2025

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/public-health/articles/10.3389/fpubh.2025.1598290

DOI=10.3389/fpubh.2025.1598290

ISSN=2296-2565

ABSTRACT=IntroductionCOPD is a global public health problem, causing a very high rates of morbidity, mortality, and work disability in the last decades worldwide.ObjectiveTo determine the prevalence and characteristics COPD in a random sample of workers form the city of Skopje, and its relation to occupational exposures.MethodsA cross-sectional study was conducted including 1,867 workers (959 males and 908 females) from the city of Skopje. Afterwards, the study subjects were divided into exposed (1.287/68.9%) and unexposed (580/31.1%) groups based on their current job exposure to noxious particles and gasses. All study participants completed a questionnaire and underwent pre-and post-bronchodilator spirometry.ResultsCOPD prevalence was 3.9% among all workers. COPD prevalence in exposed workers was significantly higher compared to unexposed (4.7% vs. 2.4%). Significant difference was found in exposed workers with exposure duration longer than 20 years as compared to those with shorter duration of exposure (6.0 vs. 3.2%). COPD prevalence in workers who smoked was significantly higher than in non-smoking workers in both exposed (6.0% vs. 3.9%, p = 0.037) and unexposed (3.9% vs. 1.8%, p = 0.000) groups. The difference between workers with COPD in terms of use of solid and liquid bio fossil fuels at home and central heating/electricity is not significant (5.0% vs. 3.6%), both in exposed (5.4% vs. 4.3%), as well as non-exposed workers (3.8% vs. 1.9%).ConclusionOur findings confirmed the role of occupational exposures in COPD prevalence indicating a need of more effective preventive activities in order to reduce the overall disease burden.