title: A study of respiratory function among the workers engaged in ginning processes.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Known respiratory health effects of exposure to cotton dust are mainly altered pulmonary function findings and symptom of chest tightness. A number of studies have been carried out all over the world to enumerate and evaluate the health effects of cotton dust exposed workers in different processes. However, such studies carried out in ginning industry especially in Indian context are scanty.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  This study was initiated to explore occupational and morbidity details and respiratory functional status of the exposed workers as well as to investigate across the working shift pulmonary function changes.
  
  
  METHODS
  A cross-sectional study was conducted including workers from ginning units where principal exposure is from cotton dust. All the workers of the selected ginning units were subjected to an interview with a predesigned questionnaire to collect occupational and medical history, clinical examination and pulmonary function test.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In this present study, no cross-shift significant change in relation to PEFR and FEV1 values is observed. However, chronic effect on lung function is observed in a few subjects and declining trend of values was observed with increasing job duration as well as age of workers and among smokers. Other health problems among these subjects were backache and joint pain.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Studies on cotton textile workers have shown both cross-shift and chronic decline of values. In this study on ginning workers, chronic effect only is observed. This difference of observation may be explained by different nature of exposure in case of ginning. This study recommends regular periodic clinical examination, lung function test and monitoring of dust, gram-negative bacteria and endotoxins in such workplaces.
authors.affiliation: Department of Occupational Medicine, Regional Occupational Health Centre (Eastern), Kolkata, West Bengal, India.
authors.forename: Asim
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Saha
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, National Institute of Occupational Health, Ahmedabad, Gujarat, India.
authors.forename: Pankaj B
authors.initials: PB
authors.lastname: Doctor
authors.affiliation: Department of Industrial Hygiene, National Institute of Occupational Health, Ahmedabad, Gujarat, India.
authors.forename: Lakho J
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: Bhagia
authors.affiliation: Department of Occupational Medicine, Regional Occupational Health Centre (Eastern), Kolkata, West Bengal, India.
authors.forename: Prabhat K
authors.initials: PK
authors.lastname: Majumdar
authors.affiliation: Department of Respiratory Medicine, National Institute of Occupational Health, Ahmedabad, Gujarat, India.
authors.forename: Bhupendra D
authors.initials: BD
authors.lastname: Patel
keywords: FEV1; PEFR; ginning; pulmonary function