Kumari Pooja, Poudel Lisasha, Chaudhary Laxmi, Choulagai Bishnu Prasad
Central Department of Public Health, Institute of Medicine, Tribhuvan University, Kathmandu, Nepal.
Environ Occup Health Pract. 2024 Aug 28;6(1). doi: 10.1539/eohp.2024-0003-OA. eCollection 2024.
This study aimed to measure the prevalence of respiratory symptoms/illnesses and evaluate their association with similar exposure groups among brick kiln workers in Nepal.
This cross-sectional survey used a modified Nepali version of the American Thoracic Society Division of Lung Diseases (ATS-DLD) questionnaire to measure the respiratory symptoms and illnesses of 390 brick kiln workers. Logistic regression analyses were performed to assess the association between respiratory symptoms and illnesses with similar exposure groups, age, duration of work, and smoking among brick kiln workers.
A significant number of workers reported experiencing chronic cough (12.3%), chronic phlegm (10.8%), wheezing (9.2%), chronic bronchitis (10.8%), and asthma (3.6%). Interestingly, people with similar exposure groups, such as coal crushers, were almost four times more likely to have chronic coughs and asthma. Also, coal crushers had higher rates of chronic phlegm (odds ratio [OR] 2.89; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.26-6.61), and chronic bronchitis (OR 2.41; 95% CI, 1.02-5.65). Firemen were also twice as likely to have wheezing and chronic bronchitis. Similarly, individuals transporting red bricks were more likely to report chronic phlegm (OR 2.78; 95% CI, 1.41-5.49). Green brick stacking/carrying was used as the reference group for similar exposure groups.
A higher significance of respiratory issues is reported in coalmen, firemen, and red brick loaders. Technology transfer and natural gas substitution are necessary to protect workers.
本研究旨在测量尼泊尔砖窑工人呼吸道症状/疾病的患病率，并评估其与类似暴露组之间的关联。
这项横断面调查使用了美国胸科学会肺部疾病分会（ATS-DLD）问卷的尼泊尔语修改版，以测量390名砖窑工人的呼吸道症状和疾病。进行逻辑回归分析，以评估砖窑工人呼吸道症状和疾病与类似暴露组、年龄、工作时长和吸烟之间的关联。
相当数量的工人报告有慢性咳嗽（12.3%）、慢性咳痰（10.8%）、喘息（9.2%）、慢性支气管炎（10.8%）和哮喘（3.6%）。有趣的是，类似暴露组的人，如煤炭粉碎工，患慢性咳嗽和哮喘的可能性几乎是其他人的四倍。此外，煤炭粉碎工的慢性咳痰率更高（比值比[OR]2.89；95%置信区间[CI]，1.26 - 6.61），慢性支气管炎率也更高（OR 2.41；95% CI，1.02 - 5.65）。消防员患喘息和慢性支气管炎的可能性也高出一倍。同样，运输红砖的个体更有可能报告慢性咳痰（OR 2.78；95% CI，1.41 - 5.49）。绿砖堆叠/搬运组被用作类似暴露组的参照组。
煤炭工人、消防员和红砖装卸工报告的呼吸道问题更为显著。技术转让和天然气替代对于保护工人是必要的。
