Respiratory Status Of Workers Exposed To Cotton Dust In A Textile Mill A Case Of Arba Minch Textile Factory Southern Ethiopia

Background: Textile industry is considered as a number one priority sector by the Ethiopianrngovernment‘s industrial development strategy. In many of the textile industries, workers arernlargely exposed to cotton dust, which can leave workers with respiratory disorders. In low andrnmiddle income countries including Ethiopia, occupational respiratory symptoms and diseasesrnare very high due to the expansion of investments and high unemployment rate; workers arernprobably more likely to continue working even when having poor health status and oldrnmachines that are producing excessive dust to work environment are still used for productionrnpurpose. Therefore, studies on cotton dust effects have been highly useful in understanding thernrisks of working in textile mills and the prevalence of respiratory symptoms and lung functionrnimpairment in the textile factory workers. This is important to minimize the occurrence of highlyrnrising occupational respiratory problems in peoples working in textile mills.rnObjective: The present study was conducted to evaluate respiratory status of workers exposed torncotton dust in Arba Minch textile factory.rnMaterials and methods: A comparative cross sectional study was done, 51 workers exposed torncotton dust in the factory and 51age and sex matched controls were investigated. Their lungrnfunction was measured with a pocket size digital Spirometer (Spiro-Pro JAEGER). Arnstandardized questionnaire based on British Medical Research Council Questionnaire was usedrnto assess respiratory system symptoms and use of personal protective devices.rnResults: The study revealed that the percentage prevalence of cough, phlegm, wheeze,rnbreathlessness and chest tightness was 64.7%, 55%, 39%, 41% and 43% for exposedrnrespondents, respectively and 25.5%, 14%, 8%, 6% and 0% for control subjects, respectively.rnAmong exposed subjects percentage prevalence of respiratory symptoms were higher amongrnworkers in spinning department than weaving. Percentage prevalence of respiratory symptomsrnwere higher in blowing, carding and ring frame sections of spinning department and in loomrnshed or weaving section of weaving department.rnLung function indices such as, FVC, FEV1, PEFR& FEF25-75% were higher in controlrnrespondents than in exposed respondents and the mean difference was found to be statisticallyrnsignificant (p

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