title: Respiratory morbidity among welders in the shipbuilding industry, Goa.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Welding is pivotal in shipbuilding. The fumes and gases involved in welding may cause respiratory morbidity.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To study the prevalence of respiratory morbidity (RM) among welders vis à vis among nonwelders and its association with certain relevant factors.
  
  
  METHODS
  A cross-sectional study of 276 welders and 276 nonwelders was conducted in the shipbuilding industry.
  
  
  METHODS
  An interviewer-administered questionnaire was followed by spirometric examination.
  
  
  METHODS
  Odds ratio and its 95% CI and two-way ANOVA.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Prevalence of RM was found to be significantly higher among welders compared to nonwelders (who were comparable in age, duration of employment (DOE) and smoking habits,) with odds ratio (OR) of 1.78 (95% confidence interval (CI):1.20-2.63). Obstructive type of RM was predominant in both welders (26% (n = 73)) and nonwelders (17% (n = 49)) with welders being at a significantly higher risk (OR = 1.66 (95%: 1.10-2.49)). RM was commoner after the 40 years of age or after 20 years of employment in both groups. Smoking was associated with RM among welders (OR = 1.48, 95% CI: 1.24-1.75) as well as nonwelders (OR = 2.83, 95% CI: 2.26-3.54). Work-related respiratory symptoms (WRRS) was not found to be related to RM (OR = 1.69, 95% CI: 1.00-2.84). Consistent use of personal protective equipment (PPE) was protective against RM in welders (OR = 0.33, 95% CI: 0.28-0.37).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Welders had a greater burden of RM and this was related to increasing age, DOE, smoking and inconsistent use of PPE. WRRS were not indicative of RM.
authors.affiliation: Department of Community Medicine, Pondicherry Institute of Medical Sciences, Ganapathychettikulam, Kalapet, Puducherry, India.
authors.forename: Nateshan
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Bhumika
authors.forename: Ganapati Vasant
authors.initials: GV
authors.lastname: Prabhu
authors.forename: Agnelo Menino
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Ferreira
authors.forename: Manoj Kumar
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: Kulkarni
authors.forename: Frederick Satiro
authors.initials: FS
authors.lastname: Vaz
authors.forename: Zile
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Singh
keywords: Personal protective equipment; respiratory morbidity; shipbuilding; smoking; spirometry; welders