Respiratory health of brickworkers in Cape Town, South Africa. Symptoms, signs and pulmonary function abnormalities.
The respiratory health of 268 brickworkers in five brickworks was investigated by means of a questionnaire, a physical examination, and pulmonary function testing. The prevalence of respiratory symptoms ranged from 7% for chronic bronchitis to 52% for morning cough to 27% for both chest tightness and wheeze and 9% for dyspnea at effort. A stepwise logistic regression analysis showed the symptoms to be significantly predicted by combinations of smoking and exposure to dust, while a multiple linear regression showed an effect of dust exposure on forced vital capacity and forced expiratory volume in 1 s but no smoking effect. Smoking generally had less of an effect than dust and predicted early/mild symptoms only.
Takemi Program in International Health and Occupational Health Program, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts.
J E
JE
Myers
J E
JE
Cornell
D000328:Adult; D000395:Air Pollutants, Occupational / Q000009:adverse effects*; D003252:Construction Materials / Q000009:adverse effects*; D004391:Dust / Q000009:adverse effects*; D006801:Humans; D008168:Lung / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008176:Lung Volume Measurements; D008297:Male; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D012120:Respiration Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D012907:Smoking / Q000009:adverse effects; D013019:South Africa
D000395:Air Pollutants, Occupational; D004391:Dust