title: Respiratory symptoms of vendors in an open-air hawker center in brunei darussalam.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We studied respiratory problems among vendors exposed to cooking fumes in an open-air hawker center. Exposure to cooking fumes from either the use of fossil fuels or liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) has been shown to be associated with adverse respiratory health effects.
  
  
  METHODS
  We conducted a cross-sectional study among 67 food vendors exposed to cooking fumes as well as 18 merchandise sellers at an open-air hawker center in Brunei Darussalam. Past medical and smoking history and exposure to cooking fumes were obtained. The validated American Thoracic Society Questionnaire with a translated Malay version was used to ask for respiratory symptoms.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Compared to merchandise sellers (n = 18), cooking vendors (n = 67) had a higher self-reported respiratory symptoms (50.7% for those cooking and 33.3% for merchandise sellers). Cough (28.3%) was the main respiratory symptom experienced in cooking vendors and breathlessness (22.2%) among merchandise sellers. Half (50.0%) of cooking vendors who worked for more than 10 years had cough and 27.3% had phlegm. Those cooking with charcoal were two times more likely to have cough than those cooking with LPG. Cooking vendors with a job duration of more than 10 years were thrice more likely to have cough.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Cooking vendors in the open-air hawker center exposed to cooking fumes had more respiratory symptoms compared to non-exposed merchandise sellers. The type of fuel used for cooking and duration of work was associated with increased prevalence of cough.
authors.affiliation: PAPRSB Institute of Health Sciences, Universiti Brunei Darussalam , Bandar Seri Begawan , Brunei Darussalam.
authors.forename: Nurul Nor
authors.initials: NN
authors.lastname: Nazurah Bt Abdul Wahid
authors.affiliation: Occupational Health Division, Ministry of Health , Bandar Seri Begawan , Brunei Darussalam.
authors.forename: N B P
authors.initials: NB
authors.lastname: Balalla
authors.affiliation: PAPRSB Institute of Health Sciences, Universiti Brunei Darussalam , Bandar Seri Begawan , Brunei Darussalam ; Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health, National University of Singapore , Singapore.
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Koh
keywords: LPG; charcoal; cooking vendors; open-air cooking; respiratory symptoms