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Differences in hepatocyte-related indicators within occupational hazardous factor exposure between genders
Kai Wen1, Xu Liao1,2, Xin Huang1
1Department of Public Health, Chengdu Medical College, Chengdu, Sichuan, China.
Objective:
This study examines how gender differences in exposure to workplace hazards affect liver function markers among manufacturing workers, particularly focusing on physical and chemical exposures such as organic solvents and heavy metals.
Methods:
The research draws on data from 1,554 manufacturing workers in China, sourced from the Occupational Health Information Registration System (OHIR). To account for confounding variables like age, body mass index (BMI), and exposure duration, propensity score matching (PSM) was employed. The final analysis involved a balanced sample of 752 workers (376 men and 376 women) to compare liver enzyme levels. Statistical tests, including t-tests, chi-square tests, and conditional logistic regression models, were applied to evaluate these differences.
Results:
The results revealed notable gender disparities in both occupational exposure and liver enzyme levels. Male workers were more likely to encounter physical hazards such as dust, heat, and noise, while female workers had a higher exposure to organic chemicals. In terms of liver function, males exhibited significantly higher levels of ALT, AST, GGT, and ALP, with the most marked differences observed in ALT, AST, and GGT levels.
Conclusion:
These findings underscore the necessity of factoring in gender when shaping occupational health policies. The study calls for gender-specific interventions to mitigate the risks to liver health, particularly in the manufacturing sector.
