Respiratory symptoms and lung function prevalence among street sweepers in Bang na district

Abstract

This cross-sectional descriptive study investigates the prevalence of respiratory symptoms and lung function among street sweepers in the Bangna district of Bangkok. The study includes 176 street sweepers working for at least six months. Data will be collected through questionnaires, lung function tests using a spirometer, and assessment of exposure to personal particulate matter not exceeding 2.5 microns. The data will be analyzed using descriptive statistics, and the relationship will be analyzed using chi-square statistics with a significance level of 0.05. The study revealed that most street sweepers were female, accounting for 78.4%. The average age was 45 years (SD=9.97). The average duration of employment was 16 years (SD=7.85). The results found that 76.1% of the participants used respiratory protective equipment. The mean value of exposure to particulate matter not exceeding 2.5 microns was 279.40 ± 263.98 µg/m³. The highest exposure was observed in the morning shift from 05:00 to 13:00 (310.71 ± 250.61 µg/m³), 7.6 times higher than the standard for particulate matter not exceeding 2.5 microns in the general atmosphere over 24 hours. The prevalence of respiratory symptoms among street sweepers was 50.6%, with the top three symptoms being sneezing, nasal congestion/runny nose, and nasal irritation, accounting for 33.0%, 27.3%, and 22.2%, respectively. Abnormal lung function was found in 68.0% of the participants, mostly in the obstructive pattern. The analysis revealed that gender was significantly associated with cough and sputum production (p<0.001), and underlying diseases were associated with noisy breathing (p=0.006). Therefore, the Bangna district office should monitor small particulate matter exposure, conduct regular lung function tests for street sweepers, organize employee health promotion activities, and encourage the consistent use of respiratory protective equipment during work hours.