Factors Related to Respiratory Symptoms of Home-Based Workers: A Case Study of Handmade Cotton Flower Workers in Promburi District, Singburi Province

Abstract

The aim of this study was to investigate the factors related to respiratory symptoms of the handmade cotton flower workers. Data were
collected from 94 workers in Promburi District, Singburi Province. The data collection was performed using questionnaire regarding personal
characteristics, working characteristics, working environments, and respiratory symptoms. Chisquare test was used to analyze the relationship
between factors and respiratory symptoms at the 95% confdence interval level.

The results found that all workers were female with the average age of 49.49 years old. More than half of the worker education was primary school (54.9%). Their average working experience was 15.14 years. Their average working duration was 5.99 hours per day. Approximately, 50% of them used personal protective equipment (cotton mask). The top two observed respiratory symptoms were moderate chronic bronchitis
(44.7%) and severe chronic bronchitis (27.7%). This study found three factors associated with respiratory symptoms at the 95% confdence
interval level including personal protective equipment use, working characteristic, and ventilation characteristic. Therefore, adequate
ventilation, working area cleaning every time after work, and personal protective equipment use could be used to reduce dust exposure of
handmade cotton flower workers.