The efficiency of the respiratory system of men at risk of social exclusion

Abstract

Background: Some part of the Polish society, after 1989, especially that coming from the remote farming areas – on the bankrupt State Agriculatural Farm could not cope in the new reality. Unemployment and the associated bad financial situation, poor housing conditions, and even homelessness, difficult access to medical care often generated the beginnings of social exclusion. Did those aspects also generate the impairment of the respiratory system or do the socio-demographic conditions demonstrate the relationship with the efficiency of the respiratory system?

Material and Methods: 210 people from Tuchola County at risk of social exclusion underwent spirometry testing. The spirometry results were demonstrated against a background of the same measurements carried out on the group of 95 people – physical labourers and white-collar workers of Kazimierz Wielki University. Basic socio-demographic conditions of people at risk of social exclusion were surveyed.

Results: Low efficiency of the respiratory system is a characteristic feature of people at risk of social exclusion. Social and living conditions (including housing conditions and unemployment period) demonstrate vital relations with the efficiency of the respiratory system.

Conclusions: Poor social and living conditions and smoking of the examined people significantly change their chances of the standard spirometry results. However, good social and living conditions suggest that there is a possibility of the compensation of bad effects of smoking.