The prevalence of occupational asthma and rhinitis among woodworkers in south-eastern Nigeria.
Wood dusts are known to cause respiratory disorders like rhinitis and asthma. This study was therefore done to determine the magnitude of the problem among woodworkers in south-eastern Nigeria exposed to high level of wood dust. Five hundred and ninety one woodworkers were selected using a stratified random sampling. The prevalence of woodwork-related rhinitis and asthma were then observed in the study population. Also the peak expiratory flow rate (PEFR) of each woodworker was obtained. The prevalence of occupational rhinitis was 78%, while that of asthma was 6.5%. As period of woodwork increased the prevalence of rhinitis and asthma increased (rhinitis: chi2 trend = 53.015, df = 1, P = 0.000). For asthma, chi2 trend = 19.721, df = 1, P = 0.000). Also the PEFR significantly became low with increasing years of exposure to woodwork (chi2 trend = 75.965, df = 1, P = 0.000). In conclusion the prevalence of rhinitis and asthma in woodworkers was high and significantly increased with years of working as a woodworker.
Aguwa
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EN
Department of Community Medicine, University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital, P.M.B. 01129, Enugu, Nigeria. enaguwa@yahoo.com
Okeke
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TA
Asuzu
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MC
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000395:Air Pollutants, Occupational / Q000009:adverse effects*; D001249:Asthma / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004391:Dust; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007221:Industry; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009549:Nigeria / Q000453:epidemiology; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D010366:Peak Expiratory Flow Rate; D015995:Prevalence; D012220:Rhinitis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D013995:Time; D014934:Wood / Q000009:adverse effects*
D000395:Air Pollutants, Occupational; D004391:Dust