Publications by authors named "Aizhan Raushanova"

Background: Reinforced concrete production is widespread, but little is known about the occupational exposure to fine particulate matter (PM) in such workplaces, including from metalworking and concrete processing. Therefore, the aim was to characterize exposure to fine PM in the typical workplaces of the whole production cycle and to quantify the risk of respiratory symptoms and lung function in a cohort of reinforced concrete parts production industry.

Methods: At a reinforced concrete parts producing facility in Almaty, we collected 50 personal PM samples from the main exposure sites and the measured mass concentrations using gravimetric method.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

We aimed to assess exposure to respirable particulate matter (PM) of beauty salon personnel, identify its determinants and ascertain the associated respiratory effects. We collected 122 full-day respirable PM samples from 12 beauty salons (floor area ranging from 24 to 550 m, staff from 4 to 8) in Almaty, Kazakhstan, taking 10 samples from each place using a portable SidePak AM520 monitor. We also assessed lifestyle (smoking, etc.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Background: Asthma control, patients' awareness level and adherence to treatment in Kazakhstan have never been studied. The aim of this study was to verify the prevalence of controlled, poorly controlled and uncontrolled asthma in a large sample of three largest cities of Kazakhstan.

Methods: We recruited 600 (median age 54 (interquartile range (IQR) 22) years, 64% females) patients with diagnosis confirmed earlier in the outpatient facilities in Almaty, Astana and Shymkent in 2020-2021.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

The aim of this study is to characterize personal exposure of workers to respirable particulate matter (PM) generated in cutting and other fabrication activities when fabricating acryl polymer/aluminium trihydroxide synthetic countertops. We collected 29 personal full-day samples of respirable PM from three workers in a small private workshop. We tested differences between- and within-worker variances of mass concentrations using the Kruskall-Wallis test.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Background: Health-related quality of life (HRQL) in the general population of Kazakhstan has never been characterized. We constructed this population-based study of the largest city in Kazakhstan, Almaty with the aim to quantitatively assess HRQL and ascertain whether occupation and lifestyle are associated with HRQL in this population.

Methods: In a random sample (N = 1500) of general population in Almaty (median age 49 (interquartile range 28) years, 50% women), we collected data on demographics, socioeconomic status, lifestyle, lifetime occupational history and general HRQL using SF-8 instrument.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Background: Very little is known about the biologic predictors of the occupational burnout in firefighters. The aim of this study was to characterize testosterone profile of active firefighters and quantify its association with three domains of the occupational burnout.

Methods: We enrolled 100 firefighters (median age 28 (interquartile range (IQR) 9.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Methods: Outdoor security non-smoking guards (N = 12) wore TSI DustTrack AM520 aerosol monitors with a 10-μm impactor for 8 hours of outdoor shift. Ten samples (k = 10) from each worker were obtained for the cold season (November-March) from various locations across Almaty. Total sampling time was 57600 minutes.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Purpose: To ascertain the effect of lifelong occupational history, ambient air pollution, and biochemically verified smoking status on chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in a general population of one the largest cities in Central Asia, Almaty.

Patients And Methods: 1500 adults (median age 49, interquartile range (IQR) 28 years), 50% females, were randomly selected from a registry of enlisted population of a primary care facility in Almaty, Kazakhstan and they filled in the questionnaire on demographics, respiratory symptoms (CAT and mMRC), smoking status, verified by exhaled carbon monoxide, and detailed lifetime occupational history. COPD was defined as postbronchodilator forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1)/forced vital capacity (FVC) below lower limit of normal (LLN) using Belintelmed MAS-2 spirometer (Belarus).

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Introduction: Iodine deficiency is one of the most important public health problems in the world. It mostly affects pregnant women and children. The lack of iodine leads to an increase in the numbers of perinatal mortality and mental retardation.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF