scholarly journals Health Assessment of Electronic Waste Workers in Chile: Participant Characterization

2019 ◽  
Vol 16 (3) ◽  
pp. 386 ◽  
Author(s):  
Karla Yohannessen ◽  
Daniela Pinto-Galleguillos ◽  
Denisse Parra-Giordano ◽  
Amaranta Agost ◽  
Macarena Valdés ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Occupational Injuries ◽  
Electronic Waste ◽  
Health Assessment ◽  
Good Health ◽  
Waste Recycling ◽  
Cross Sectional Study ◽  
Health Questionnaire ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Small Magnitude ◽  
Comprehensive Health

Little research has been done to evaluate the occupational health of electronic waste (e-waste) recycling workers in Latin America. The objective of this study was to complete comprehensive health evaluations on e-waste recycling workers in Chile and to compare those that work in informal (i.e., independent) to those that work in formal (i.e., established company) settings. A cross-sectional study in the summer of 2017 recruited 78 informal recycling workers from two cities and 15 formal e-waste recycling workers from a single recycling facility to assess exposures and health outcomes. Participants completed a health questionnaire and underwent a full health assessment. Herein, only health questionnaire data are reported. Participants were primarily male, middle-aged, married with children, and had worked in e-waste recycling for an average of 12 years. Participants generally reported good health status, and their prevalence of chronic diseases was comparable to national rates. Workers frequently reported exposures to several occupational stressors, including noise and insufficient income, as well as other mental health stressors. Occupational injuries were commonly reported and use of safety equipment was low. Only a few significant differences, generally of a rather small magnitude, were found between informal and formal workers. In conclusion, from survey data, we did not identify major risks to health among e-waste workers, and only minor differences between workers in informal and formal settings.

scholarly journals Health Assessment of Electronic Waste Workers in Chile: Study Design and Participant Characterization

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Karla Yohannessen ◽  
Daniela Pinto-Galleguillos ◽  
Denisse Parra ◽  
Amaranta Agost ◽  
Macarena Valdés ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Occupational Health ◽  
Occupational Injuries ◽  
Electronic Waste ◽  
Health Assessment ◽  
Good Health ◽  
Waste Recycling ◽  
High Income ◽  
Middle Income ◽  
Middle Income Countries ◽  
National Prevalence

Little research has been done on occupational health ramifications of informal electronic waste (e-waste) recycling work, which is increasingly common in low- and middle-income countries, and very little is known about this in high-income countries. Our study evaluated informal and formal e-waste recycling workers in Chile, which was recently recognized as a high-income country. In 2017 we recruited 78 informal recycling workers from two cities, and 15 formal e-waste recycling workers from one recycling facility. Participants completed a questionnaire and health assessment regarding their involvement in, and potential impacts of, e-waste recycling, among other measures. Participants were primarily male, middle-aged, married with children, and had worked in e-waste recycling for an average of 12 years. Participants generally reported good health status, and chronic disease prevalence was similar to the national prevalence. Workers commonly reported exposures to several occupational stressors, including mental health stressors and noise, as well as insufficient income.   Occupational injuries were common and use of safety equipment was low. No significant differences were found between informal and formal workers. Informal e-waste workers in Chile face occupational health challenges. The extent to which these issues impact the health of informal Chilean e-waste workers is unclear and warrants further research.

scholarly journals Metal Exposures, Noise Exposures and Audiometry from e-Waste Workers in Agbogbloshie, Ghana

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (18) ◽  
pp. 9639
Author(s):  
Krystin Carlson ◽  
Niladri Basu ◽  
Julius Fobil ◽  
Richard Neitzel
Keyword(s):  
Noise Exposure ◽  
Electronic Waste ◽  
Waste Recycling ◽  
Cross Sectional Study ◽  
Blood Levels ◽  
Blood Collection ◽  
Linear Regression Models ◽  
Noise Levels ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Hearing Thresholds

Metals, such as lead, may be ototoxic, but this property is not well understood, especially in conjunction with noise. This cross-sectional study investigated hearing, noise, and metal biomarkers in informal electronic waste (e-waste) recycling workers in Accra, Ghana. Workers (N = 58) participated in audiometric testing, a survey, blood collection, and personal noise dosimetry. Sixty percent of participants displayed audiometric notches indicative of noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL). Most workers (86%) reported high noise while working. Daily average noise levels were in the range 74.4–90.0 dBA. Linear regression models indicated participants who lived at Agbogbloshie Market for longer periods were significantly associated with worse hearing thresholds at 4 and 6 kHz. The models did not identify blood levels of lead, mercury, or cadmium as significant predictors of worse hearing thresholds or larger noise notches, but increased levels of selenium were significantly associated with better hearing at 6 kHz. Models of thresholds at 4 and 6 kHz were improved by including an interaction term between the maximum noise exposure and the level of zinc in whole blood, suggesting that zinc may protect hearing at lower noise levels, but not at higher levels. Further study of the relationships between elements, noise, and NIHL is needed.

scholarly journals A Review of Biomarkers Used for Assessing Human Exposure to Metals from E-Waste

2019 ◽  
Vol 16 (10) ◽  
pp. 1802 ◽  
Author(s):  
Aubrey L. Arain ◽  
Richard L. Neitzel
Keyword(s):  
Reference Group ◽  
Electronic Waste ◽  
Waste Recycling ◽  
Cross Sectional Study ◽  
Reporting Standard ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Rigorous Research ◽  
Occupationally Exposed ◽  
Multiple Biomarkers ◽  
Electronic Waste Recycling

Electronic waste recycling presents workers and communities with a potential for exposures to dangerous chemicals, including metals. This review examines studies that report on blood, hair, and urine biomarkers of communities and workers exposed to metals from e-waste. Our results from the evaluation of 19 publications found that there are consistently elevated levels of lead found in occupationally and non-occupationally exposed populations, in both the formal and the informal e-waste recycling sectors. Various other metals were found to be elevated in different exposure groups assessed using various types of biomarkers, but with less consistency than found in lead. Antimony and cadmium generally showed higher concentrations in exposed groups compared to reference group(s). Mercury and arsenic did not show a trend among exposure groups due to the dietary and environmental considerations. Observed variations in trends amongst exposure groups within studies using multiple biomarkers highlights the need to carefully select appropriate biomarkers. Our study concludes that there is a need for more rigorous research that moves past cross-sectional study designs, involves more thoughtful and methodical selection of biomarkers, and a systematic reporting standard for exposure studies to ensure that results can be compared across studies.

Informal processing of electronic waste at Agbogbloshie, Ghana: workers’ knowledge about associated health hazards and alternative livelihoods

2016 ◽  
Vol 24 (4) ◽  
pp. 90-98 ◽  
Author(s):  
Emily A. Yu ◽  
Matthew Akormedi ◽  
Emmanuel Asampong ◽  
Christian G. Meyer ◽  
Julius N. Fobil
Keyword(s):  
Electronic Waste ◽  
Waste Recycling ◽  
Cross Sectional Study ◽  
Northern Region ◽  
Health Hazards ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Potential Health ◽  
Physical Injuries ◽  
Negative Role ◽  
Level Of Knowledge

Aims: This study was conducted to investigate the electronic waste workers’ knowledge about the potential health hazards associated with their work as well as the livelihood alternatives that they would prefer if they were given the opportunity. Methods: A qualitative cross-sectional study was conducted to gather empirical information on e-waste workers’ knowledge about the potential hazards associated with their work and the livelihood alternatives to e-waste recycling with a sample consisting of twenty all-male electronic waste workers at the Agbogbloshie scrap metal yard in Accra, Ghana. Results: Electronic waste workers at Agbogbloshie were found to be exposed to a variety of injuries and illnesses. The workers’ knowledge of the association between their health status and their work was generally poor. Apart from the physical injuries, they did not believe their work played any negative role in their health conditions. They preferred occupations such as farming or professional driving located in the northern region of Ghana to be closer to their families. Conclusions: The study concludes that the low knowledge level of the workers on the hazards that are associated with their work has implications for them accepting technologies to protect them and the natural environment from contamination. It is therefore imperative for any intervention to consider the current low level of knowledge and actively educate the workers to raise their awareness level, taking into account the provision of opportunities for workers to acquire applicable skills for future employment in other fields.

scholarly journals Prevalence and injury patterns among electronic waste workers in the informal sector in Nigeria

2017 ◽  
Vol 24 (3) ◽  
pp. 185-192 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chimere May Ohajinwa ◽  
Peter M van Bodegom ◽  
Martina G Vijver ◽  
Adesola O Olumide ◽  
Oladele Osibanjo ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Informal Sector ◽  
Occupational Injury ◽  
Occupational Injuries ◽  
Electronic Waste ◽  
Geographical Location ◽  
Cross Sectional Study ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Factors Associated ◽  
Work Related ◽  
Multistage Sampling

BackgroundDespite the large volume of e-waste recycled informally, the prevalence of work-related injuries among e-waste workers is unknown. Therefore, this study assessed the prevalence, patterns and factors associated with occupational injuries among e-waste workers in the informal sector in Nigeria.MethodsThis cross-sectional study adopted a multistage sampling method to select 279 respondents from three cities (Ibadan, Lagos and Aba) in Nigeria. A questionnaire was used to obtain information on sociodemographics, work practices and injury occurrences from the respondents in 2015. The data were analysed using descriptive statistics and standard logistic regression.ResultsWe found high injury prevalence of 38% and 68% in 1–2 weeks and 6 months preceding the study, respectively. The most common injuries were cuts (59%). Injuries were mainly caused by sharp objects (77%). The majority (82%) of the injuries occurred on the hands/fingers. Despite the high occurrence of injury, only 18% of the workers use personal protective equipment (PPE) and 51% of those that use PPE got at least an injury in 1–2 weeks and 88% got at least an injury in 6 months preceding the study. The factors associated with injury in 1–2 weeks were job designation and the geographical location, while the factors associated with injury in 6 months were job designation, geographical location and age.ConclusionsThere is a high prevalence of injury and low use of PPE among the e-waste workers in Nigeria. Occupational injury can be reduced through health education and safety promotion programmes for e-waste workers.

scholarly journals Knowledge, Attitude and Practice Study of Health Risks Among E-waste Recyclers in Delhi

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (29) ◽  
Author(s):  
Diksha Singhal ◽  
Tanica Lyngdoh ◽  
Poormima Prabhakaran
Keyword(s):  
Health Risks ◽  
Informal Sector ◽  
Occupational Injuries ◽  
Waste Recycling ◽  
Cross Sectional Study ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Attitudes And Practices ◽  
Hair Samples ◽  
Health Related ◽  
Financial Interests

Background. India is the fifth biggest producer of e-waste in the world, discarding 1.7 million tons in 2014. E-waste gets recycled mainly in the informal sector which means activities are largely unaccounted for. Hazardous chemicals and metals are released during recycling processes (lead (Pb) being the most common). Compared to other developing countries, there are few studies from India on the awareness of recyclers of health risks related to e-waste recycling. Objectives. The aim of the present study was to assess the knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) of health-related risks and behaviors among e-waste workers/recyclers belonging to the informal sector in Delhi and to determine the concentration of Pb levels in hair samples from a subset of workers from selected recycling sites. Methods. A cross-sectional study was conducted in three e-waste informal recycling sites of Delhi: Seelampur, Mustafabad and Mandoli using an interviewer administered questionnaire among 220 e-waste workers. Percentages were presented for each KAP indicator. Analyses were computed using the statistical software STATA 14.2. Results. It was observed that 24% of participants had knowledge of the meaning of e-waste and 36% knew the chemicals that could be released from e-waste handling. Personal protective equipment (PPE) was used by only 12% of the workers. Twenty-six percent (26%) perceived occupational injuries (cuts or burns) as mild and 20% perceived coughing immediately after work as mild. Explorative analysis showed a link between worker education level and the type of work practices employed. The median level of Pb concentration among hair samples was 8 mg/kg with inter-quartile range between 5.8 to 12.4 mg/kg. Conclusions. Knowledge and practices among e-waste workers regarding the health hazards associated with e-waste recycling were poor with little knowledge of or attention to health risks. A comprehensive remediation package covering sensitization and awareness-building strategies of the health risks associated with informal e-waste recycling should be an urgent priority. Participant Consent. Obtained Ethics Approval. Ethics approval was obtained from the Institutional Ethical Committee (IEC), Indian Institute of Public Health-Delhi. Competing Interests. The authors declare no competing financial interests

scholarly journals A cross-sectional study of owner-reported health in Canadian and American cats fed meat- and plant-based diets

2021 ◽  
Vol 17 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Sarah A. S. Dodd ◽  
Cate Dewey ◽  
Deep Khosa ◽  
Adronie Verbrugghe
Keyword(s):  
Good Health ◽  
Cross Sectional Study ◽  
Animal Origin ◽  
Exclusion Criterion ◽  
Health And Wellness ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Adverse Health Outcomes ◽  
Nutrient Imbalances ◽  
Ideal Body ◽  
Diet Type

Abstract Background Cats, being obligate carnivores, have unique dietary requirements for nutrients most commonly found in dietary ingredients of animal origin. As such, feeding a diet devoid of animal-derived ingredients has been postulated as a possible cause of nutrient imbalances and adverse health outcomes. A small proportion of cat owners feed strictly plant-based diets to the cats in their care, yet the health and wellness of cats fed these diets has not been well documented. Results A total of 1325 questionnaires were complete enough for inclusion. The only exclusion criterion was failure to answer all questions. Most cats, 65% (667/1026), represented in the survey were fed a meat-based diet and 18.2% (187/1026) were fed a plant-based diet, with the rest fed either a combination of plant-based with meat-based (69/1026, 6.7%) or indeterminable (103/1026, 10%). Cat age ranged from 4 months to 23 years, with a median of 7 years, and was not associated with diet type. No differences in reported lifespan were detected between diet types. Fewer cats fed plant-based diets reported to have gastrointestinal and hepatic disorders. Cats fed plant-based diets were reported to have more ideal body condition scores than cats fed a meat-based diet. More owners of cats fed plant-based diets reported their cat to be in very good health. Conclusions Cat owner perception of the health and wellness of cats does not appear to be adversely affected by being fed a plant-based diet. Contrary to expectations, owners perceived no body system or disorder to be at particular risk when feeding a plant-based diet to cats. This study collected information from cat owners and is subject to bias, as well as methodological limitations. Further research is warranted to determine if these results are replicable in a prospective investigation.

scholarly journals Physical Activity, Sedentary Behavior, and Cardiorespiratory Fitness in Hazardous and Non-Hazardous Alcohol Consumers

2021 ◽  
pp. 089011712098583
Author(s):  
Mats Hallgren ◽  
Davy Vancampfort ◽  
Thi-Thuy-Dung Nguyen ◽  
Elin Ekblom-Bak ◽  
Peter Wallin ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
Sedentary Behavior ◽  
Cardiorespiratory Fitness ◽  
Leisure Time ◽  
Health Assessment ◽  
Cross Sectional Study ◽  
Cycle Ergometer ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Physically Active ◽  
Alcohol Abstainers

Purpose: To describe physical activity habits, sedentary behavior, and cardiorespiratory fitness levels among alcohol abstainers, hazardous and non-hazardous drinkers. Design: Cross-sectional study with data collected between 2017-19. Setting: Sweden. Subjects: Adults aged 18-65 years (n = 47,559; 59.4% male). Measures: During a routine health assessment, participants answered validated single-item questions regarding: habitual physical activity, structured exercise, and the percentage of time spent sedentary during leisure-time (past 30 days), and completed a 6-minute cycle ergometer test (V02max) to determine cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF). Participants were categorized as alcohol abstainers, non-hazardous drinkers or hazardous drinkers (low/high) based on the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT-C) cut-points for men and women. Analysis: Logistic regression models stratified by sex and age. Results: Compared to non-hazardous drinkers, the heaviest drinkers were less physically active (males: OR = 1.38, CI = 1.13-1.67, p = .001; females: OR = 1.41, CI = 1.01-1.97, p = .040) and more sedentary during leisure time (males: OR = 1.94, CI = 1.62-2.32, p = .000; females: OR = 1.62, CI = 1.21-2.16, p = .001). Apart from young females, the heaviest drinkers also did less structured exercise than non-hazardous drinkers (males: OR = 1.22, CI = 1.15-1.51, p = .000; females: OR = 1.43, CI = 1.15-1.78, p = .001). The strongest associations were seen among adults aged 40-65 years (shown here). High-hazardous drinking was associated with low CRF among older males only (OR = 1.19, CI = 1.00-1.41). Conclusion: Middle-aged adults with AUDIT-C scores of ≥6 (women) and ≥7 (men) were less physically active and more sedentary during leisure time and may be appropriate targets for physical activity interventions.

scholarly journals Association of Health Literacy with the Implementation of Exercise during the Declaration of COVID-19 State of Emergency among Japanese Community-Dwelling Old-Old Adults

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (4) ◽  
pp. 2100
Author(s):  
Daijo Shiratsuchi ◽  
Hyuma Makizako ◽  
Yuki Nakai ◽  
Yoshiaki Taniguchi ◽  
Tomomi Akanuma ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Health Literacy ◽  
Mail Survey ◽  
Good Health ◽  
Cross Sectional Study ◽  
Exercise Group ◽  
Community Dwelling ◽  
Multivariate Logistic Regression Model ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
State Of Emergency ◽  
Old Adults

Health literacy is important for promoting and maintaining good health in old-old adults. It may influence the implementation of exercise in the coronavirus disease epidemic. The present cross-sectional study investigated the association of each dimension of health literacy with the implementation of exercise during the declaration of a state of emergency due to coronavirus disease in community-dwelling old-old adults. We collected data from 483 community-dwelling old-old adults (52.8% women) aged between 77 and 99 years who participated in a mail survey. Participants were divided into exercise or nonexercise groups based on the implementation of exercise during the declaration of a state of emergency. Health literacy was assessed using a 14-item health literacy scale. There were 327 (67.7%) participants in the exercise group and 156 (32.3%) in the nonexercise group. A significantly higher score of health literacy was observed in the exercise group than in the nonexercise group (communicative health literacy score = 14.0 ± 3.6 vs. 12.7 ± 3.8, p = 0.001). In a multivariate logistic regression model adjusted for potential confounders, high communicative health literacy scores were significantly associated with the implementation of exercise during the declaration of a state of emergency (odds ratio = 1.88, 95% confidence interval = 1.20–2.93). Approximately two-thirds of community-dwelling old-old adults implement exercise during the declaration of a state of emergency. High communicative health literacy was associated with the implementation of exercise during this period.

scholarly journals Patient satisfaction and associated factors among psychiatry outpatients of St Paulo’s Hospital, Ethiopia

2020 ◽  
Vol 33 (1) ◽  
pp. e100120
Author(s):  
Kebebew Wogi Goben ◽  
Endalamaw Salelew Abegaz ◽  
Samuel Tolesa Abdi
Keyword(s):  
Patient Satisfaction ◽  
Associated Factors ◽  
Addis Ababa ◽  
Mental Healthcare ◽  
Sampling Technique ◽  
Good Health ◽  
Cross Sectional Study ◽  
P Value ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Male Sex

BackgroundPatient satisfaction with mental healthcare service is recognised as an important integral part of measuring the outcomes and performance of clinical service delivery. It is not well studied in Ethiopia. Therefore, it is essential to improve service in the future.AimsTo assess patient satisfaction and associated factors among psychiatry outpatients at St. Paulo’s Hospital Millennium Medical College, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.MethodsAn institutional-based cross-sectional study was conducted with consecutive sampling technique from May to June 2018. Data were collected using a Client Satisfaction Questionnaire (CSQ-8). Both bivariate and multivariate ordinal logistic regression analyses were used. Variables with p value <0.05 at multivariate analysis were considered statistically significant.ResultsA total of 589 participants were enrolled with a response rate of 98.2%. In regard to the magnitude of patient satisfaction, 50.3% (95% CI 46.0 to 54.2) were highly satisfied, 31.0% (95% CI 27.2 to 34.8) were satisfied, and 18.7% (95% CI 15.4 to 22.1) were dissatisfied. Male sex (adjusted OR (AOR) 2.30, 95% CI 1.57 to 3.36), inability to read and write (AOR 2.23, 95% CI 1.10 to 4.66), being unemployed (AOR 1.69, 95% CI 1.15 to 2.47), obtaining services for free (AOR 1.57, 95% CI 1.11 to 2.22), and availability of medication (AOR 1.62, 95% CI 1.13 to 2.23) were significantly associated with patient satisfaction.ConclusionsThe study showed that further improvements in patient satisfaction are required. Male sex, inability to read and write, being unemployed, obtaining services free of charge, and availability of medication were significantly associated with patient satisfaction. More than half of the participants were dissatisfied with the waiting time to receive services. The provision of services within a reasonable timeframe and meeting patient expectations are helpful for good health outcomes.

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