RESPIRATORY SYMPTOMS AND PULMONARY FUNCTIONS AMONG AUTOMOBILE REPAIR WORKERS | ||||
| Egyptian Journal of Occupational Medicine | ||||
| Article 6, Volume 45, Issue 2, May 2021, Page 85-100 PDF (3.23 MB) | ||||
| Document Type: Original Article | ||||
| DOI: 10.21608/ejom.2021.170567 | ||||
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| Authors | ||||
| Khashaba EO* ; El-Gilany A; Albadry AA | ||||
| Department of Public Health and Community Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Mansoura University, Egypt | ||||
| Abstract | ||||
| Introduction: Car repair technicians use chemicals during their work. These chemicals become airborne during its application and can be easily inhaled and cause harm to the respiratory system. Aim of work: The current study aims to describe the magnitude of respiratory symptoms and pulmonary function disorders among automobile repair workers. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional descriptive study was performed on 121 automobile repair workers. The workers completed a predesigned questionnaire to collect socio-demographic data, including occupational history, special habits, and respiratory complaints. The pulmonary function tests were carried out utilizing Spirolab- III from MIR Company with Winspiro Pro software, a calibrated spirometer with a built-in computer program. Forced vital capacity (FVC), forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1), and the ratio of these variables (FEV1/FVC) was measured as a percentage of normal predicted levels according to age, gender, weight, and height. Results: Dry cough and chest tightness were the most common respiratory symptoms (33.9% and 23.1%, respectively); however, only 4% of the automobile repair workers used respiratory protective equipment. More than one-third (38.8%) of the subjects had pulmonary function (PF) disorders (19% with obstructive patterns and 19.8% with restrictive patterns). Pulmonary function disorders were common among the older (>30 years), compared to the younger age group (≤30 years) (48.1% vs. 22.7%, respectively) and workers who are exposed to brake fluid. Smoking, obesity, and a long duration of employment had no significant associations with PF disorders. Conclusion: The current study showed that two out of five car mechanics exhibited changes in pulmonary functions that were equally distributed between obstructive and restrictive impairments. Pulmonary function disorders were common among the older age group, regardless of smoking or a long employment duration. The promotion of workplace safety and the periodic spirometry examination of individuals is required to detect any respiratory changes. | ||||
| Keywords | ||||
| Automobile repair workers; Pulmonary complaints; Obstructive pulmonary; functions; Restrictive pulmonary functions and Car mechanics | ||||
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