Suman Bahadur
School of Public Health and Community medicine, Nepal
Title: Respiratory disorders among dust exposed workers in eastern Nepal
Biography
Biography: Suman Bahadur
Abstract
Exposure to dusts is common in developing industrialized countries. Chronic respiratory illness has been reported from jute and textile industry. This study compared respiratory problem among the workers of jute and textile industry. A cross-sectional study enrolled 315 workers from each of the industries. Almost all the workers were selected from the textile industry while the workers from the jute industry were selected from dust prone areas. Workers were interviewed by using pretested questionnaires. Measurement of height and weight and peak expiratory flow rate (PEFR) was done by appropriate tools and techniques. Majority of workers were non smokers in both the industries (73% vs. 70.8%). Most of the workers had the working experience of less than five years in both the industries (42.5% vs. 57.1%). Upper respiratory disorder was found among more than one fifth of workers in the jute industry and around one twentieth of workers in the textile industry. One and two worker suffered from chronic bronchitis in the jute and the textile industry respectively. Chest tightness was reported by 1.3% and 5.4% workers in the jute and textile industry respectively. Higher proportion of workers (27.3%) in the jute industry suffered from cough symptom than the workers (8.3%) in the textile industry which was statistically very significant (p<0.001). Mean score of PEFR of workers in jute mill was lower than the workers of textile industry, which was statistically significant (p-value < 0.001). Chronic respiratory problem did not appear to be alarming in both the industries.