Original Research Article
Year: 2020 | Month: February | Volume: 7 | Issue: 2 | Pages: 449-455
Respiratory Morbidities Related To the Concentration of Airborne Particulate Matter among Brick Kiln Workers- A Cross Sectional Study in Charhi Block, Jharkhand
Leena Singh1, Shuvankar Mukherjee2, Nabanita Bhattacharyya3, Mahul Mukherjee4, Sukanta Majumdar 5
1Junior Resident, 3Professor and Head, 4Demonstrator, 5Assistant Professor,
Department of Community Medicine, Calcutta National Medical College and Hospital, Kolkata, West Bengal, India.
2Associate Professor, Department of Community Medicine, Raiganj Medical College and Hospital, Raiganj, Uttar Dinajpur, West Bengal,India.
Corresponding Author: Shuvankar Mukherjee
ABSTRACT
Background: Brick kiln workers are occupationally more vulnerable towards developing various respiratory disorders like asthma, bronchitis, emphysema, and decreased lung function. But very few research studies have been conducted to assess the respiratory health status of brick kiln workers in India and other developing countries.
Objective: This study tried to assess the prevalence of respiratory morbidities among brick kiln workers of Charhi Block, Jharkhand, estimate the magnitude of particulate exposures among brick kiln workers and to find out the relation , if any between different types of respiratory morbidities and different types of working groups in brick kilns.
Methods: A cross-sectional , community based study was conducted in 270 brick kiln workers of Charhi Block , Jharkhand from May ,2018-Feb,2019.American Thoracic Society –Lung Disease Questionnaire was used for the interview of brick kiln workers.(in Hindi version) .Spirometry was performed using PFT Architech 5-Version-S.0.22.32360.Ambient Air Quality Monitoring Equipment was used for Ambient Air Quality Analysis.
Results: Study revealed that 33% workers had chronic cough while 23.3% reported chronic phlegm.5.6% suffered from dyspnoea,18.9% were suffering from chronic bronchitis while 3.3% reported physician diagnosed Asthma.Brick kiln workers involved in Baking and Firing were strongly associated with abnormal spirometry results (OR=3.61,95% CI 1.822-7.137,p≤0.05) than workers involved in Moulding and Carrying.
Conclusion: High Frequency of respiratory symptoms and illnesses were observed in the brick kiln workers. Workers involved in baking and firing were strongly associated with abnormal spirometry results.
Keywords: Respiratory Morbidities, Brick Kiln Workers, Cross Sectional, Airborne Particulate Matter.
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