Welding Fume Exposure and Prevalence of Chronic Respiratory Symptoms among Micro and Small-Scale Enterprise Metal and office work in Akaki Kality, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia: A comparative cross-sectional study
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Date
2021
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Addis Abeba University
Abstract
Abstract
Background: Exposure to welding fume can lead to different respiratory health disorders
including lung cancer due to long term exposures. In Ethiopia there are no investigations
conducted on the level of personal welding fume dust exposure and prevalence of chronic
respiratory symptoms.
Objectives: This study aims at assessing chronic respiratory illness, associated factors, and the
metal fume concentration among micro and small-scale enterprise metal workers and micro and
small scale and office workers in Akaki Kality, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
Methods: A Comparative cross-sectional study was conducted on a total of 226 metal workers
and 217 office workers. Subjects were selected using stratified sampling methods and the
establishments were selected by using systematic random sampling technique. The respiratory
symptoms were collected using structured questionnaire adapted from American thoracic society
and observational checklists were used to assess respiratory protective equipment, work place
ventilation and welding sites. The collected data were analyzed using SPSS version 23.
Multivariate analysis was conducted to check the association between dependent and
independent variables with p=<0.2. Considering P <0.05 as a significant association and 95% CI.
Result: The overall prevalence of chronic respiratory symptoms among metal and office workers
were 23.9% and 9.2% respectively. The Geometric mean personal dust exposure among welders
were 5.98 mg/m
3
(±GSD=1.54). A significance association were seen between welding fume
exposure and occurrence of chronic respiratory symptoms in lower educational status (AOR:
5.11, 95% CI: 1.35, 19.33) not utilizing respiratory protective equipment (AOR: 3.33, 95% CI:
1.52, 7.31), not getting a safety training (AOR: 2.41, 95% CI: 1.10, 5.28) welding machine
maintenance (AOR: 1.87, 95% CI: 1.01, 3.59) and doing welding task indoor (AOR: 6.85. 95%
CI: 2.36, 19.89).
Conclusion: A significance association were seen between welding fume exposure and
occurrence of chronic respiratory symptoms in educational status, usage of respiratory protective
equipment, safety training, welding machine maintenance and welding site. Further investigation
should be done to strength the finding.
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Keywords
Welding fume Exposure, Chronic Respiratory symptoms, Associated factors