PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - Dushantha Madegedara
AU  - Duminda Yasaratne
AU  - Hemali Nagahatenna
AU  - Deepani Kosgallana
AU  - Ruwan Kumara
AU  - Damith Nandadeva
TI  - Preliminary screening for respiratory disease among workers in a garment factory (GF)
DP  - 2013 Sep 01
TA  - European Respiratory Journal
PG  - P989
VI  - 42
IP  - Suppl 57
4099  - http://erj.ersjournals.com/content/42/Suppl_57/P989.short
4100  - http://erj.ersjournals.com/content/42/Suppl_57/P989.full
SO  - Eur Respir J2013 Sep 01; 42
AB  - Background Garment industry is a major source of national income in Sri Lanka. Aim To determine whether occupational exposure causes respiratory diseases and decline in lung function among GF workers. Method We conducted a cross sectional study in a cotton GF in Board of Investment zone, Kundasale, Sri Lanka in October 2012. All factory workers were interviewed using interviewer administered questionnaire. Respiratory system was examined and spirometry performed using portable spirometer. Results A total 156 employees were screened (105 females; mean age 30 years) with an average service of 4.8 years. 88 had high occupational risk exposure (cutting and sewing sections) while the exposure was low in remaining 68 (ironing, quality supervising, packing and office sections). Only 24 (15%) of high risk employees were using safety appliances like face masks.Incidence of recent onset wheezing and/or rhinitis in the high risk group was 35% (30) and in the low risk group 19% (13), showing a relative risk of 1.78 (P=0.0462). However, only three of the wheezers had demonstrable airway obstruction on spirometry. Age and sex adjusted percentage FEV1 was lower in the high risk group (mean 85.3 ± SE 1.6) compared to the low risk group (88.0 ± 1.7), although the difference was not significant (t=-1.17, p=0.25). Despite the significant symptomatology among the high risk employers, there was no correlation between the duration of risk exposure and decline in percentage FEV1 (r=0.096, p=0.19). Conclusion Upper and lower respiratory symptoms were significantly higher among GF workers with high occupational risk exposure. However there was no significant decline in respiratory parameters on spirometry.