A study of respiratory function among the workers engaged in ginning processes.

BACKGROUND: Known respiratory health effects of exposure to cotton dust are mainly altered pulmonary function findings and symptom of chest tightness. A number of studies have been carried out all over the world to enumerate and evaluate the health effects of cotton dust exposed workers in different processes. However, such studies carried out in ginning industry especially in Indian context are scanty. OBJECTIVES: This study was initiated to explore occupational and morbidity details and respiratory functional status of the exposed workers as well as to investigate across the working shift pulmonary function changes. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted including workers from ginning units where principal exposure is from cotton dust. All the workers of the selected ginning units were subjected to an interview with a predesigned questionnaire to collect occupational and medical history, clinical examination and pulmonary function test. RESULTS: In this present study, no cross-shift significant change in relation to PEFR and FEV1 values is observed. However, chronic effect on lung function is observed in a few subjects and declining trend of values was observed with increasing job duration as well as age of workers and among smokers. Other health problems among these subjects were backache and joint pain. CONCLUSIONS: Studies on cotton textile workers have shown both cross-shift and chronic decline of values. In this study on ginning workers, chronic effect only is observed. This difference of observation may be explained by different nature of exposure in case of ginning. This study recommends regular periodic clinical examination, lung function test and monitoring of dust, gram-negative bacteria and endotoxins in such workplaces.

Effects of industrial pollution on respiratory morbidity among female residents of India.

The authors evaluated the respiratory symptoms and pulmonary function test results (forced vital capacity [FVC], forced expiratory volume in 1 second [FEV1], and ratio of FEV1 to FVC [FEV1%]) of female residents of the critically polluted industrial estate of Vapi, Gujarat (state), India, and compared these with control information derived from a village 20 km away. The authors categorized the studied residents as living in Vapi, in town, or in villages proximal to the Gujarat Industrial Development Corporation; living 2 to 3 km away from Vapi; living 3 to 5 km away from Vapi; and being in the control group. The authors found no significant association between respiratory symptoms and pulmonary function among Vapi residents. However, the obstructive type of abnormality was most predominant and significantly different among Vapi residents. The restrictive type was highly prevalent among residents living 2 to 3 km away from Vapi compared with the control group. These results suggest significant respiratory morbidity among residents that was associated with age and distance from the development corporation.

Spirometric measurements among quartz stone ex-workers of Gujarat, India.

The present cross sectional study was carried out among 134 ex-workers from quartz stone crushing units. Using the interview technique as a tool for data collection, demographic and occupational details of the subjects were recorded on the predesigned proforma. Standard diagnostic criteria were used for diagnosing silicosis and silico-tuberculosis. The pulmonary functions of the subjects were measured with Spirovit SP-10. The mean age of the males was found to be 33.18 +/- 10.39 yr and that of the females was 30.10 +/- 9.3 yr and for the whole group was 31.77 +/- 9.99 yr. Mean duration of exposure was 2.74 +/- 1.65 yr. The study variables included age, sex, duration of exposure, smoking and respiratory morbidity. Forced Vital Capacity (FVC) which suggests lung parenchymal disorders was found to be significantly reduced with female sex, presence of smoking, increasing duration of exposure and presence of pneumoconiosis, whereas the lung function parameters indicating the status of airways were found to be significantly reduced with all the factors. Therefore, it was concluded that quartz stone workers exposed to approximately 100% free silica had deteriorated lung function which can be attributed mainly to respiratory disorders along with other epidemiological factors such as age, sex, duration of exposure and smoking.