MYERS lE , CORNELL lE . Respiratory health of bric kworkers in Cape Town , South Africa: symptom s, signs and pulmonary function abnormalities. Scand J Work Environ Health 1989;15:188-194. The respiratory health of 268 brickworkers in five brickworks was investigated by means of a questionnaire, a physical examination , and pulmonary function testing. Th e prevalence of respiratory symptoms ranged from 7 070 for chronic bronchitis to 52 070 for morning cough to 27 010 for both chest tightne ss and wheeze and 9 070 for dyspnea at effort. A stepwise logistic regression analysis showed the symptoms to be significantly predicted by combinations of smoking and exposure to dust, while a multiple linear regression showed an effect of dust exposure on forced vital capa city and forced expiratory volume in I s but no smoking effect. Smokin g generally had less of an effect than du st and predicted early/mild symptoms only .
MYERS JE, GARISCH D, LOUW SJ. Respiratory health of brickworkers in Cape Town, South Africa: radiographic abnormalities. Scand J Work Environ Health 1989; 15:195-197. A cross-sectional study utilizing internal controls based on dust exposure determinations was performed on 268 brickworkers. Smoking, age, and other information from a detailed respiratory questionnaire and results from a physical examination and pulmonary function tests were investigated in relation to radiographic abnormality. The prevalence of pneumoconiosis was near 4 0J0 . The roles of smoking, workplace dust exposure, and age as factors predicting radiographic abnormality are discussed.
MYERSJE. Respiratory health of brickworkers in Cape Town, South Africa: appropriate dust exposure indicators and permissible exposure limits. Scand J Work Environ Health 1989;15:198-202. The predictive value for respiratory abnormalities of dust indicators was assessed for 268 brickworkers. The subjective/ objective correlations were poor (r = 0.09). The subjective indicators were found to be predictive of early/mild abnormalities, while the objective indicators were better for more severe abnormalities. The respirable/ total dust correlations were high (r = 0.99). Length of service was a good proxy predictor for most respiratory abnormalities, while respirable dust was a good proxy for respirable free silica. Simple screening measures with potential application in less-developed settings, like subjective questionnaire responsesand total dust measurement, are suggested. The American Conferenceof Governmental Industrial Hygienists' threshold limit values for free silica and " nuisance" particulates appear to be too high to preventthe occurrence of abnormalities.The World HealthOrganization's health-basedlimit for respirable free silica (I mg/m ') and hygienic standards of well below 5 mg/m ' would have prevented much of the respiratory abnormality found. Hygienic standards for dust and the concept of " nuisance" dust need to be reevaluated by further research.
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