Respiratory Health in Quartz Workers
Author Information
Author(s): Tiwari Rajnarayan R., Narain Raj, Sharma Y. K., Kumar Sunil
Primary Institution: National Institute of Occupational Health, Ahmedabad, India
Hypothesis
Is there a difference in respiratory morbidity between current and ex-workers of quartz crushing units?
Conclusion
Ex-workers have a higher prevalence of respiratory morbidity compared to current workers due to the healthy workers’ effect.
Supporting Evidence
- 24 ex-workers (17.9%) were diagnosed with silicosis.
- 10 current workers (5.5%) had radiological suspected tuberculosis.
- 94% of current workers were free from respiratory morbidity.
- Mean age of ex-workers was 31.77 years, while current workers was 26.74 years.
- More than half of both groups were engaged in the crushing process.
Takeaway
Workers who used to grind quartz have more breathing problems than those who currently do it because the sick ones have already left the job.
Methodology
Cross-sectional study with chest radiography and pulmonary function tests on 134 ex-workers and 182 current workers.
Potential Biases
Potential bias due to the healthy worker effect.
Limitations
The study may not account for all confounding factors affecting respiratory health.
Participant Demographics
Majority of participants were young males, with a significant number being illiterate.
Statistical Information
P-Value
<0.001
Statistical Significance
p<0.001
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
Want to read the original?
Access the complete publication on the publisher's website