Kearney Gregory D, Gallagher Barbara, Shaw Robert
a Department of Public Health , Brody School of Medicine, East Carolina University , Greenville , North Carolina , USA.
b North Carolina Agromedicine Institute, AgriSafe Network of North Carolina, Brody School of Medicine, East Carolina University , Greenville , North Carolina , USA.
J Agromedicine. 2016;21(2):136-43. doi: 10.1080/1059924X.2016.1143429.
The aim of this pilot study was to evaluate respiratory behavior and respiratory indices of poultry workers on family-owned, poultry farms with 10 or less employees in North Carolina. A field study was conducted to collect data on participants (N = 24) using spirometry, fractional exhaled nitric oxide (Feno), and an interviewer-administered questionnaire. The majority of workers (76%) ranked respiratory protection as being important, yet 48% reported never or rarely wearing respiratory protection when working in dusty conditions. A large percent of workers reported eye (55%) and nasal (50%) irritation and dry cough (50%). On average, pulmonary lung function and Feno tests were normal among nonsmokers. In bivariate analysis, significant associations were identified between working 7 days on the farm (P = .01), with eye irritation, and working 5 or fewer years in poultry farming (P = .01). Poultry workers on family-owned farms spend a considerable amount of work time in poultry houses and report acute respiratory-related health symptoms. Administrative controls among small, family-owned poultry farms are necessary to improve and promote safety and health to its employees.
这项初步研究的目的是评估北卡罗来纳州员工人数为10人或更少的家庭式家禽养殖场中家禽工人的呼吸行为和呼吸指标。开展了一项实地研究，通过肺活量测定法、呼出一氧化氮分数（Feno）以及一份由访谈员填写的问卷来收集参与者（N = 24）的数据。大多数工人（76%）认为呼吸防护很重要，但48%的工人报告称在多尘环境中工作时从未或很少佩戴呼吸防护装备。很大比例的工人报告有眼睛（55%）和鼻腔（50%）刺激以及干咳（50%）症状。非吸烟者的肺功能和Feno测试平均正常。在双变量分析中，确定了在农场工作7天（P = 0.01）与眼睛刺激之间以及从事家禽养殖5年或更少时间（P = 0.01）之间存在显著关联。家庭式农场的家禽工人在家禽舍中花费大量工作时间，并报告有与急性呼吸道相关的健康症状。小型家庭式家禽养殖场需要实施管理控制措施，以改善和促进员工的安全与健康。
