title: Respiratory Protection Behavior and Respiratory Indices among Poultry House Workers on Small, Family-Owned Farms in North Carolina: A Pilot Project.
abstract: The aim of this pilot study was to evaluate respiratory behavior and respiratory indices of poultry workers on family-owned, poultry farms with 10 or less employees in North Carolina. A field study was conducted to collect data on participants (N = 24) using spirometry, fractional exhaled nitric oxide (Feno), and an interviewer-administered questionnaire. The majority of workers (76%) ranked respiratory protection as being important, yet 48% reported never or rarely wearing respiratory protection when working in dusty conditions. A large percent of workers reported eye (55%) and nasal (50%) irritation and dry cough (50%). On average, pulmonary lung function and Feno tests were normal among nonsmokers. In bivariate analysis, significant associations were identified between working 7 days on the farm (P = .01), with eye irritation, and working 5 or fewer years in poultry farming (P = .01). Poultry workers on family-owned farms spend a considerable amount of work time in poultry houses and report acute respiratory-related health symptoms. Administrative controls among small, family-owned poultry farms are necessary to improve and promote safety and health to its employees.
authors.affiliation: a Department of Public Health , Brody School of Medicine, East Carolina University , Greenville , North Carolina , USA.
authors.forename: Gregory D
authors.initials: GD
authors.lastname: Kearney
authors.affiliation: b North Carolina Agromedicine Institute, AgriSafe Network of North Carolina, Brody School of Medicine, East Carolina University , Greenville , North Carolina , USA.
authors.forename: Barbara
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Gallagher
authors.affiliation: c Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine , Brody School of Medicine, East Carolina University , Greenville , North Carolina , USA.
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Shaw
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000382:Agricultural Workers' Diseases / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D000822:Animal Husbandry; D000818:Animals; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D000067565:Farmers; D000072480:Farms; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009657:North Carolina; D016273:Occupational Exposure / Q000517:prevention & control*; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011200:Poultry; D012129:Respiratory Function Tests / Q000379:methods; D012134:Respiratory Protective Devices / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D013147:Spirometry; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
keywords: Agricultural workers; lung function; nitric oxide; occupational safety