title: Respiratory health status and its predictors: a cross-sectional study among coal-based sponge iron plant workers in Barjora, India.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  During the past decade, coal-based sponge iron plants, a highly polluted industry, have grown rapidly in Barjora, India. The toxic effects of particulate matters and gaseous pollutants include various respiratory diseases. Understanding workers' perception of respiratory health is essential in people-centred healthcare. The aim of the study was to assess their respiratory health status and to determine its predictors.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cross-sectional study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Coal-based sponge iron plants in Barjora, India.
  
  
  METHODS
  258 coal-based sponge iron plant workers.
  
  
  METHODS
  Respiratory health status was measured using the St. George's respiratory questionnaire (SGRQ) total score. 100 and 0 represent the worst and best possible respiratory health status, respectively.
  
  
  METHODS
  The two-part model (frequency (any worse respiratory health status) and severity (amount of worse respiratory health status)) was developed for the score, as the data were positively skewed with many zeros.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean (SD) SGRQ total score was 7.7 (14.5), the median (IQR) was 0.9 (9.0), and the observed range was 0-86.6. The best possible SGRQ total score was reported by 46.9% of workers. Independent predictors of worse respiratory health status were cleaner domestic cooking fuel (coefficient -0.76, 95% CI -1.46 to -0.06, p=0.034) and personal history of any respiratory disease (1.76, 1.04 to 2.47, p<0.001) in case of frequency; and family history of any respiratory disease (0.43, 0.02 to 0.83, p=0.039) and personal history (1.19, 0.83 to 1.54, p<0.001) in case of severity.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Less than half of the coal-based sponge iron plant workers in Barjora have the best possible respiratory health status. The predictors of worse respiratory health status were identified. The study findings could be taken into consideration in future interventional studies aimed at improving the respiratory health status of these workers.
authors: Faculty of Epidemiology and Population Health, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, UK.
authors: Kaushik
authors: K
authors: Chattopadhyay
authors: Monitoring and Evaluation, United Nations Office for Project Services, Geneva, Switzerland.
authors: Chaitali
authors: C
authors: Chattopadhyay
authors: Health Economics and Decision Science, School of Health and Related Research, The University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK.
authors: Eva
authors: E
authors: Kaltenthaler
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000395:Air Pollutants, Occupational; D003031:Coal; D003296:Cooking / Q000379:methods; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D007194:India; D008297:Male; D008669:Metallurgy; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology*; D052638:Particulate Matter; D012140:Respiratory Tract Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000235:genetics; D012307:Risk Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
chemical_list: D000395:Air Pollutants, Occupational; D003031:Coal; D052638:Particulate Matter
keywords: EPIDEMIOLOGY; OCCUPATIONAL & INDUSTRIAL MEDICINE; PUBLIC HEALTH