Ifakara Health Institute, P. O. Box 78373, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.
School of Life Sciences and Bio-Engineering, The Nelson Mandela African Institution of Science and Technology, P. O. Box 447, Arusha, Tanzania.
BMC Pulm Med. 2023 Aug 2;23(1):280. doi: 10.1186/s12890-023-02576-4.
In Tanzania little is known about how the respiratory system of small-holder fish vendors is affected by occupational exposure to biomass smoke and other associated factors. This study assessed the prevalence of lung obstruction and associated factors among small-holder fish vendors along coastal areas in Tanzania.
A cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted in Bagamoyo and Kunduchi fish markets along coastal areas of Tanzania. Environmental air pollutant levels and composition were measured using a hand-held device. A standardized questionnaire was used to assess respiratory symptoms while EasyOne spirometer was used to test for lung function among small-holder fish vendors. Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) was defined as FEV1/FVC below the lower limit of normal. Data were analyzed using STATA Version 17. Descriptive statistics was performed and logistic regression analysis was used to determine factors that are associated with poor lung function presented as crude and adjusted odds ratio and their 95% confidence intervals.
A total of 103 participants were included in the study who were predominantly males 82 (79.6%). The participants' mean age was 35.47 (± 8.77 SD) years. The hourly average concentration levels of PM, PM, PM and CO exposure during fish frying were 653.6 (± 206.3 SD) μg/m, 748.48 (± 200.6 SD) μg/m, 798.66 (± 181.71 SD) μg/m and 62.6 (± 12.3 SD) ppm respectively which are higher than the WHO recommended limits. The prevalence of COPD was found to be 32.04% (95% CI 0.23-0.42). Most of the participants reported respiratory symptoms like coughing, wheezing, sputum production and breathlessness during performing their daily activities.
Findings suggest that three out of ten participants had COPD and the major environmental air pollutants (PMs and CO) concentration levels were too high, suggesting that occupational exposure to biomass smoke may be a risk factor. This calls for effective approaches to reduce exposure and prevent known acute and chronic respiratory diseases that are associated with such exposure to air pollutants. Also the study calls for follow up or cohort studies to be conducted in this area.
在坦桑尼亚，人们对小型鱼类商贩的呼吸系统如何受到生物量烟雾等职业暴露因素的影响知之甚少。本研究评估了坦桑尼亚沿海地区小型鱼类商贩中肺阻塞的患病率及其相关因素。
在坦桑尼亚沿海的巴加莫约和昆都奇鱼市场进行了一项横断面描述性研究。使用手持设备测量环境空气污染物水平和成分。使用标准化问卷评估小型鱼类商贩的呼吸症状，同时使用 EasyOne 肺活量计测试他们的肺功能。慢性阻塞性肺疾病（COPD）定义为 FEV1/FVC 低于正常下限。使用 STATA 版本 17 进行数据分析。进行描述性统计，使用逻辑回归分析确定与肺功能不良相关的因素，表现为粗和调整后的优势比及其 95%置信区间。
共有 103 名参与者参加了这项研究，他们主要是男性 82 人（79.6%）。参与者的平均年龄为 35.47（±8.77 SD）岁。在炸鱼过程中，PM、PM、PM 和 CO 的每小时平均暴露浓度分别为 653.6（±206.3 SD）μg/m、748.48（±200.6 SD）μg/m、798.66（±181.71 SD）μg/m 和 62.6（±12.3 SD）ppm，均高于世界卫生组织推荐的限值。发现 COPD 的患病率为 32.04%（95%CI 0.23-0.42）。大多数参与者在进行日常活动时报告了咳嗽、喘息、咳痰和呼吸困难等呼吸症状。
研究结果表明，十分之三的参与者患有 COPD，主要的环境空气污染物（PM 和 CO）浓度过高，表明职业暴露于生物质烟雾可能是一个危险因素。这呼吁采取有效措施减少暴露，并预防与这种空气污染物暴露相关的已知急性和慢性呼吸道疾病。此外，该研究呼吁在该地区进行后续或队列研究。
