THE INCIDENCE AND RISK FACTORS OF UROLITHIASIS IN ACTIVE WORKING POPULATION OF THE OSIJEK COMMUNITY: AN EPIDEMIOLOGICAL STUDY

An epidemiological study was carried out about the incidence and risk factors of the occurrence of urolithiasis in 28 work organizations in Osijek. The study comprised 7833 workers, who represented 15.7% of active working population, and 4.8% of the total population of the Osijek community. Urolithiasis was found in 466 (5.9%) of subjects, with a higher incidence in men aged 30 to 50 years. A significantly higher incidence of urolithiasis (P<0.05) was found in families of subjects with urolithiasis (16.4%) than of subjects without urolithiasis (7.0%). No significant influence of physical work related to occupation on urolithiasis was found. There was also no significant difference in the frequency of urolithiasis between subjects working in raised surrounding temperature (6.5%) and those working in normal surrounding temperature (5.9%). Significantly higher frequency of the disease was found in subjects who consumed less than 2 liters of liquids per day (p<0.05). The origin of drinking water and type of food consumed daily had no significant influence on the incidence of urolithiasis. The high prevalence of urolithiasis (5.9%), high relapse rate (40.8%) and the occurrence of urolithiasis at the age of greatest activity and productivity, indicates that urolithiasis is an important social and medical problem in the active working population of the Osijek community.