Sintomas respiratórios como indicadores de estado de saúde em trabalhadores de indústrias de cerâmicas

Abstract

Objective: To assess the prevalence of respiratory symptoms and their association with sociodemographic variables and with the characteristics of the work environment. Methods: A cross-sectional study comprising 464 workers employed at ceramics manufacturing facilities located in the city of Várzea Grande, Brazil. Data were collected by means of a questionnaire comprising questions regarding sociodemographic variables, work environment characteristics, and respiratory symptoms. Data were analyzed by means of prevalence ratios and their respective 95% CIs between the dependent variable (respiratory symptoms) and the other explanatory variables. In the multivariate analysis, two hierarchical models were built, the response variables being "all respiratory symptoms" and "severe respiratory symptoms". Results: In the sample studied, the prevalence of "all respiratory symptoms" was 78%, whereas that of "severe respiratory symptoms" was 35%. The factors associated with "all respiratory symptoms" were gender, age bracket, level of education, type of occupation, exposure to dust, and exposure to chemical products. The factors associated with "severe respiratory symptoms" were level of education, exposure to dust, and exposure to chemical products. Conclusions: Our results indicate the presence of upper and lower airway disease in the population studied.Keywords: Questionnaires; Occupational diseases/epidemiology; Health status indicators. ResumoObjetivo: Analisar a prevalência de sintomas respiratórios e sua associação com as características sociodemográficas e do ambiente de trabalho. Métodos: Estudo transversal realizado com 464 trabalhadores das indústrias de cerâmicas localizadas no município de Várzea Grande (MT). Para a coleta de dados, foi aplicado um questionário constituído de questões referentes às características sociodemográficas, ambiente de trabalho e sintomas respiratórios. Para a análise dos dados, foi utilizada a razão de prevalência e seu respectivo IC95% entre a variável dependente (sintomas respiratórios) e as demais variáveis explicativas. Na análise multivariada, foram construídos dois modelos hierárquicos, tendo como resposta as variáveis "sintomas respiratórios gerais" e "sintomas respiratórios graves". Resultados: Na população estudada, a prevalência de "sintomas respiratórios gerais" foi de 78%, e aquela de "sintomas respiratórios graves" foi de 35%. Os fatores associados a "sintomas respiratórios gerais" foram sexo, faixa etária, escolaridade, ocupação, exposição à poeira e exposição a produto químico. Os fatores associados a "sintomas respiratórios graves" foram escolaridade, exposição à poeira e exposição a produto químico. Conclusões: Os resultados apontam para a presença de doenças da via aérea superior e inferior na população estudada.Descritores: Questionários; Doenças profissionais/epidemiologia; Indicadores básicos de saúde.

Evaluation of pulmonary function and respiratory symptoms in pyrochlore mine workers

“…The respiratory symptom results found for the workers classified as symptomatic (22.4%) on the basis of the respiratory changes (cough, phlegm, wheezing, and dyspnea) in the present study do not corroborate the findings of a study in which a similar respiratory symptom questionnaire was used and 78% of the workers interviewed were found to have respiratory symptoms, 35% of whom had severe respiratory symptoms 13 . The difference between the findings may be due to the different mining activities the workers were engaged in and the mineral dust types they were exposed to, since silica is more aggressive than pyrochlore.…”

“…Respiratory symptoms, occupational exposure factors, and smoking status were assessed using the British Medical Research Council questionnaire (MRCQ). This questionnaire addressing respiratory symptoms and occupational exposure to inhaled pollutants is used by the Jorge Duprat Figueiredo Foundation for Occupational Safety and Medicine, located in the city of São Paulo, Brazil 13 . The MRCQ comprises questions on respiratory symptoms (cough, phlegm, wheezing, and dyspnea), history of illness in the past 2 years, and smoking history, as well as a checklist for previous illness.…”

Airway disease: similarities and differences between asthma, COPD and bronchiectasis

“…While it is known that quitting smoking is the only factor that can slow the progression of this disease, there is no evidence that there exists a reversion for the pulmonary impairment that has already began. Approximately 90% of COPD cases are related to smoking, whereas other less common risk factors include occupational exposure and biomass burning (26),(27),(28). The historical finding of a lower prevalence of COPD in the female population is associated with a lower proportion of smokers in this group.…”

Occupational exposure to dust: an underestimated health risk?

“…Other studies analyzing the prevalence of respiratory symptoms and its association with occupational exposure have also reported the presence of upper and lower airway diseases. (8,9) The present study demonstrates that, in addition to periodic measurements of air quality, increased efforts should be made to improve collective protection measures and to raise worker awareness regarding the proper use of personal protective equipment, in order to reduce the risks of exposure to dust. We cannot rule out the possibility that the symptoms reported in our study were related to inappropriate use of personal protective equipment, because that was not a focus of our analysis.…”