Varicose vein disease in cabin crews and a screening scale.

Aim: Varicose vein disease (VVD) and related symptoms are expected to be encountered more frequently in cabin crews. Considering their working environment, standing still for long periods of time and lacking mobility on flights may contribute to VVD. For this reason, our study aimed to determine the rate and the risk factors of VVD in cabin crew members and to develop a screening scale for VVD. Material and Methods: A questionnaire including 43 questions was applied to the participants, querying their socio-demographic, occupational characteristics, smoking history, family history, and VVD. Eight survey questions were used to establish a VVD Evaluation Scale (VVDES). Results: A total of 264 civil cabin crews participated in this study. 23.5% of civil aviation cabin crews had VVD. The diagnosis of VVD in the female group was higher than in the male group (p<0.001). A family history of varicose veins was crucial for VVD diagnosis and significantly increased the VVD risk in female cabin crew (p<0.001). It was determined that the rate of VVD was higher in cabin crews who worked on short flights (4 hours or less). It was shown that VVDES could accurately detect VVD at a rate of 77.4%. Conclusion: Family history of VVD was a crucial factor in terms of VVD. Multiple short flights have been linked to an increased risk of VVD. A VVDES has been developed in this study and can be used clinically as a screening scale for cabin crews. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]