TITLE:
Lung Function Impairment among Gasoline Attendants: A Cross-Sectional Study
AUTHORS:
Emmanuel Obazee, Henry Aiwuyo, Anthony Kweki, Tinuade Obazee, Tinuade Obazee, John Osarenkhoe, Uche Agboje, Beatrice Torere, Nosakhare Ilerhunmwuwa, Uchenna Amaechi, Gabriel Alugba
KEYWORDS:
Lung Function Test, Lung Impairment, Lung Impairment Pattern, Gasoline Attendants, Occupational Hazards, Cross-Sectional Study
JOURNAL NAME:
Open Journal of Respiratory Diseases,
Vol.13 No.3,
August
10,
2023
ABSTRACT: Background: Occupational health is an important consideration,
especially for people that work in an environment with pollutants. Gasoline
attendants are individuals that work in filling stations. They are constantly
exposed to gasoline fumes and automobile engine products from vehicle exhaust.
This increases the risk of acute and chronic respiratory diseases and
carcinogenesis among them. The risk of health complications tends to increase
with the duration of exposure. The study aimed to determine the proportion of
gasoline attendants with lung function impairment. Methods and Materials: Two hundred and eight eligible participants were recruited for this study. A
cross-sectional
analytical study was carried out in Esan West local government area of Edo
state, Nigeria. The study was carried out for a period of six months from
December 2015 to May 2016. A questionnaire was used to obtain information on
demographic characteristics, work history, mode of exposure and duration of
exposure to petrol fumes. Lung function was assessed using a DTspiro spirometer
(Model POP 10.
Serial no 110843-005); also the anthropometric parameters of the respondent
were measured. Statistical analysis was done using IBM SPSS version 20.0. Frequency and percentages were
used to present categorical data. The mean and standard deviation of continuous
variables were calculated and compared using the student’s t-test. The criteria
of significant association were assumed for a p-value less than 0.05. Results: A total of one hundred and forty petrol pump attendants and one hundred and
forty controls participated in this study. The mean age for petrol pump
attendants was 24 ± 3.1 years and 23 ± 2.8 years for the control group. There
were no significant differences in the gender distribution and anthropometric
parameters as observed in this study. The lung impairment pattern observed in
this study was obstructive in twelve (8.6%) gasoline pump attendants and
restrictive pattern in thirty-nine (27.9%) gasoline pump attendants, while only
four (2.9%) had an obstructive pattern and twelve (8.6%) had a restrictive
pattern of lung impairment among the control group. This implies that a
restrictive pattern was predominant. This study also observed that there was an
increase in the number of gasoline pump attendants with declined lung function
compared to the control group. Conclusion: Restrictive pattern of lung
impairment was more predominant than the obstructive pattern among gasoline
pump attendants. As a result, public health interventions should be instituted
among these individuals, especially in developing countries.