Assessment of Respiratory Symptoms and Lung Functional Impairments among a Group of Garbage Collectors

Garbage collectors areoccupationally exposed to a variety of airborne contaminants. The mainobjective of this study was to evaluate the respiratory health of garbagecollectors. This study was carried out in Fars Province, south of Iran. A groupof 105 garbage collectors and 93 referent subjects were investigated. Astandard questionnaire was administered to both groups. Furthermore, subjectsunderwent Pulmonary Function Tests. The data revealed that a few symptoms ofrespiratory disease were significantly more prevalent among garbage collectors.Likewise, significant decrements were observed in some parameters of pulmonaryfunction such as FEV1and FEV1/FVC ratio among garbage collectors. Theventilatory disorder found in spirometry of garbage collectors was consistentwith that of obstructive pulmonary disease. Our findings indicate that theprevalence of respiratory symptoms as well as impaired lung functionalcapacities were more common among garbage collectors than in their controlcounterparts. This is likely to be attributed to the occupational exposure ofthis group to workplace contaminants, particularly, bioaerosols.