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Work-related respiratory disorders among street sweepers in Cairo, Egypt, a comparative study

Article

Last updated: 22 Jan 2023

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Abstract

Respiratory diseases are one of the main morbidities to which street sweepers are exposed due to inhalation of road dust. The problem is rising in developing countries due to lack of occupational safety and health measures. Cumulative and long exposure to dust negatively affects lung function parameters. Objectives: This study aims to measure and compare the lung functions and respiratory morbidity among a group of street sweepers and a comparison group of office workers in Abbasia district, Cairo, Egypt. Methods: This study was a cross sectional study which included 107 street sweepers and 104 office workers. The study participants were asked about their socio-demographic, occupational and medical data. Their lung functions were measured. Results: The percentage of participants with reduced FEV1, reduced FVC and reduced FEV1/FVC were significantly higher in the sweepers than in the control group (62.1% versus 34.6%, 58.3% versus 44.2%, and 32% versus 18.3% respectively). Chronic cough was also significantly higher in the sweepers than in the control group (17.5% versus 5.8%). Reduced FVC% was significantly associated to older age and longer duration of employment. Reduced FEV1/FVC was positively associated to smoking among sweepers. Conclusions: Hazardous exposure to dust during street sweeping can cause respiratory symptoms such as cough and a significant reduction in pulmonary function.

DOI

10.21608/ejcm.2015.711

Keywords

dust exposure, Pulmonary functions, respiratory disorder, street sweeper

Volume

33

Article Issue

2

Related Issue

180

Issue Date

2015-04-01

Receive Date

2016-11-09

Publish Date

2015-04-01

Page Start

85

Page End

97

Print ISSN

1110-1865

Online ISSN

2090-2611

Link

https://ejcm.journals.ekb.eg/article_711.html

Detail API

https://ejcm.journals.ekb.eg/service?article_code=711

Order

7

Type

Original Article

Type Code

234

Publication Type

Journal

Publication Title

The Egyptian Journal of Community Medicine

Publication Link

https://ejcm.journals.ekb.eg/

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Article

Created At

22 Jan 2023