Problems of professional selection and the effect of the healthy worker in occupational health

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Introduction. The ”healthy worker effect” (HWE) is currently understood as organized (on the part of the employer) and/or unorganized (self-selection on the part of the worker, due to the functional capabilities and state of health of workers in unfavourable working conditions, is one of the most critical problems when conducting epidemiological studies in occupational pathology. 

Purpose and objectives. Analysis of the problem in occupational health and safety, the scientific and medical terminology used in the study of the issue of occupational health and safety, taking into account the possible inversion of the effect of exposure to harmful and unfavourable working conditions taking into account this phenomenon, as well as the intensity of occupational health and safety in various professional cohorts.

Results. When conducting epidemiological studies in occupational health and occupational pathology, it is necessary to unify the scientific and medical terminology used in researching HWE and consider the possible inversion of exposure to harmful and unfavourable working conditions taking into account this phenomenon. 

Conclusions. HWE and its intensity in various professional cohorts can indirectly characterize the harmfulness and unfavorability of conditions. HWE, its degree of severity and intensity determine the need for medical and social security and rehabilitation measures in these professional cohorts.

About the authors

Andrey V. Melentev

Federal Scientific Center of Hygiene named after F.F. Erisman of the Federal Service for Surveillance on Consumer Rights Protection and Human Wellbeing

Author for correspondence.
Email: fake@neicon.ru
ORCID iD: 0000-0002-1074-0841
Russian Federation

Sergey A. Babanov

Samara State Medical University of the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation

Email: s.a.babanov@mail.ru
ORCID iD: 0000-0002-1667-737X

MD, PhD, DSci., Professor, Head of the Department of Occupational Diseases and Clinical Pharmacology named after professor Kosarev V.V. Samara State University, Samara, 443099, Russian Federation.

e-mail: s.a.babanov@mail.ru

Russian Federation

Leonid A. Strizhakov

First Moscow State Medical University named after I.M. Sechenov of the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation (Sechenov University)

Email: fake@neicon.ru
ORCID iD: 0000-0002-2291-6453
Russian Federation

Denis V. Vinnikov

Al-Farabi Kazakh National University

Email: fake@neicon.ru
ORCID iD: 0000-0003-0991-6237
Kazakhstan

Н. Острякова

Samara State Medical University of the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation

Email: fake@neicon.ru
ORCID iD: 0000-0001-5459-691X
Russian Federation

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Copyright (c) 2021 Melentev A.V., Babanov S.A., Strizhakov L.A., Vinnikov D.V., Острякова Н.

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