Tibbi-i-kar

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Background: Garbage collectors form a large group of municipal workers who have occupational exposure to different airborne contaminants. The aim of this study was to evaluate the respiratory health of a group of garbage collectors who were working in Fars province. Methods: This cross-sectional study was undertaken among a group of 105 garbage collectors and 93 referrent individuals. Subjects were interviewed and respiratory symptom questionnaire, as suggested by the American Thoracic Society, was filled for them. Additionally, the parameters of pulmonary function were measured after two days of rest (before commencement of the saturday morning shift) for both garbage collectors and the referent subjects. :ResultsAnalysis of the data showed that some symptoms of respiratory disease such as shortness of breath (39%),productive cough (9.52%), wheezing (18.09%) and phlegm (10.47%) were significantly (p<0.05) more prevalent among garbage collectors. Similarly, significant decrements in FEV1 and FEV1/FVC ratio were noted in garbage collectors when compared with referent individuals. The spirometric pattern of ventilatory disorder was consistent with that of obstructive pulmonary diseases. :ConclusionOur data indicate that the prevalence of respiratory symptoms as well as lung function impairments are significantly higher in garbage collectors than in their counterparts (referent group) and this is likely to be attributed to their exposure to bioaerosols, exhaust fumes and other workplace contaminants

Keywords: garbage collectors, lung function, respiratory symptoms, spirometry

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