Investigation on blood pressure and influencing factors among welders

Objective To investigate the status of blood pressure of welders. Methods One hundred male welders and 100 non-welding male workers in Shanghai were enrolled in this study. Blood pressure was determined and related information on socio-demographic,employment history and health behavior factors were also collected. Results The rates of hypertension of welder group and the control group were 18.0% and 22.0% respectively,and there was no statistically significant difference between these two groups (χ²=0.500,P>0.05). The means of systolic and diastolic blood pressure of welders were significantly lower than those of the control group (t=2.444,2.285,respectively,P<0.05). Logistic regress analysis showed that age, body mass index(BMI),and family history of hypertension were influencing factors in blood pressure of welders(OR=3.611,3.611,2.546,respectively,P<0.01 or 0.05). Conclusion BMI is an important factor that affects welders' blood pressure. A healthy way of life and weight control should be recommended to welders.