Prevalence of Respiratory Symptoms in Construction Workers in Gujarat: A Cross-sectional Survey

Background: Non-communicable respiratory morbidities such as asthma and COPD are rapidly rising to emerge as leading causes of mortality worldwide. Occupational lung diseases form the majority of the work related morbidity in India, mainly in the form of occupational asthma and COPD. Due to paucity of data on respiratory disorders among construction workers in India, this study was conducted to investigate the prevalence of respiratory disorders among construction workers in Gujarat. Methods: 236 construction workers at sites across different regions of Gujarat state were screened using a Gujarati and Hindi versions of St. George Respiratory Questionnaire (SGRQ). Full time workers, having work experience more than 2 years and above the age of 20 years were included. Those with BMI >25 kg/m2 and with history of trauma, pre-existing medical conditions like diabetes, hypertension, stroke or any obvious musculoskeletal deformities like scoliosis, genu valgum and those with history of chest trauma, previous pulmonary surgery or on medications for pulmonary diseases were excluded. Results: The prevalence of respiratory symptoms was found to be high with 60% having attacks of wheezing, 50% workers complaining of cough, 45.1% complaining of phlegm, 40% having shortness of breath. Also, those with 16-20 years of exposure in the construction industry reported a significant impact on their respiratory health as measured by SGRQ. Conclusion: The prevalence of respiratory symptoms was found to be high among the construction workers, hence it becomes imperative to highlight these impairments for appropriate prevention and intervention.