Prevalence of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease as occupational lung disease among brick kiln workers

Objectives: to determine the prevalence of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease as occupational lung disease among brick kiln workers and to compare the prevalence of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease between brick kiln workers and surrounding population. study design: comparative - cross sectional (analytical) study. place and duration of study: district nawabshah,from october,1st to november 30th 2007. methods: this was a comparative - cross sectional (analytical) study conducted on 407 kiln workers and 407 non kiln workers of district nawabshah,sindh. results: the mean age of the participants was 35 years. the main symptoms of study group were (57% v/s 6%) were have cough,(33% v/s 3%) were have sputum and (14% v/s 1%) were have dyspnea. spirometeric results showed that prevalence of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in brick kilns workers compared to controls living in the radius of five kilometers away from kilns was (18.9% v/s 2.6%,p <0.01). conclusion: there is increased risk (18.9% v/s 2.6%) of developing chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in brick kilns workers compared to controls living away from brick kiln industry.