Assessing the Factors Associated with the Respiratory Health of Children Working in Waste Management Activities: A Cross-Sectional Observational Study in Dhaka, Bangladesh

Abstract

Background: Children working in the waste management sector are vulnerable to respiratory health issues due to their high exposure to hazardous waste. This study aimed to examine the prevalence and determine the factors associated with respiratory symptoms among children involved in waste management activities in urban Dhaka, Bangladesh. Methods: A cross-sectional observational study was conducted among 335 children aged 5-17 years working at Secondary Transfer Stations (STSs) in waste management activities in Dhaka city in July 2021. Data on sociodemographic characteristics, the nature of work, exposure to hazardous materials and conditions, smoking habits, and the knowledge of personal protective equipment (PPE) were collected using a structured questionnaire. Multistage cluster sampling and snowball techniques were used to recruit respondents. Bivariate and multivariate logistic regression were used to identify significant predictors of respiratory symptoms, with a p-value less than 0.05. Results: The prevalence of respiratory symptoms among the children was 52.5%: dry cough (68.75%), followed by wheezing (13.64%), chest congestion (4.55%), and asthma (3.98%). Children working more than 60 hours per week were more likely to report respiratory symptoms (AOR: 3.41; 95% CI: 1.32-8.75). Additionally, children exposed to dust, fumes, and smoke have more than thirteen times the risk of respiratory symptoms than children without these exposures (AOR:13.5; 95% CI: 3.52-64.9). Belief in the effectiveness of protective masks was not significantly correlated with a lower incidence of respiratory symptoms. Conclusion: This study highlights the high prevalence of respiratory symptoms among child waste workers in Dhaka City. This suggests that high levels of exposure to dust and long working hours increase the risk of respiratory symptoms among child waste workers in Dhaka City. Improved waste management practices, reduced working hours, effective use of PPE to reduce dust and fume exposure, and targeted health policies could mitigate respiratory symptoms of children working in the waste management sector.