Asthma Symptoms in Bakeries at Parakou, Benin

Abstract

Background and Objectives. There is a dearth of information on asthma among bakers in low-income settings. The objectives of this study were to determine (i) the prevalence of asthma symptoms, (ii) factors associated with probable occupational asthma (OA), and (iii) work habits that might lead to a dusty workplace environment, Parakou, Benin. Materials and Methods. This was a mixed methods (cross-sectional quantitative and qualitative) study carried out between March and September 2018. Results. Of 210 employees/apprentices in 26 bakeries, 190 (91.48%) were included in the study: median age was 25.50 (IQR=22−32) years, 157 (82.63%) were aged <40 years, and the male-to-female ratio was 26.14. Of these, 111 (58.42%) worked in a salted bread and 79 (41.58%) in a sweet bread bakery. An asthma history was reported by 3.68%. Symptoms consistent with asthma, work-related asthma, OA, and work-aggravated asthma were found in 13.68%, 12.63%, 10%, and 2.63%, respectively. Asthma confirmation was obtained in 15.79% of bakers with probable OA and in 23.08% of all bakers with suspected asthma. A history of allergic rhinoconjunctivitis was associated with probable OA (aOR=106; 95%CI=17.79−2093; p<0.001). Of the 24 bakers with probable work-related asthma, 3 (12.50%) were prescribed a short-acting beta2-agonist and 2 (8.33%) an inhaled corticosteroid. No worker had had a systematically planned annual medical visit; some habits at work were identified as leading to flour and dust suspension at the workplace. Conclusion. Clinical manifestations of OA were common among bakers in Parakou and were associated with allergic rhinoconjunctivitis. There is a need to improve technical preventive measures and treatment, as well as to institute systematic medical visits for these workers.

Prevalence of work-related asthma among Egyptian farmers in Great Cairo

“…28 More recently, in a cross-sectional study of 26 bakeries in Parakou, Benin, symptoms of work-related asthma were present in 12.6% of 190 participants. 29 In the study conducted by Ha et al, 2021 studying the prevalence and associated factors among textile workers in Vietnam, they found that in a total of 1082 workers, 80 (7.4%) were diagnosed with asthma, and 46 (4.3%) diagnosed with cotton dust-related allergic asthma. 30 Also in Tunisia, the prevalence of occupational asthma among textile workers was 8% according to a research study compiled by Chaari et al, in 2011.…”

Occupational inhalant allergy in food handling occupations

“…In Ethiopian flour mill workers, significant risk factors for work-related respiratory symptoms included employment duration >5 years, flour mixing operations, inadequate workplace ventilation, lack of respiratory protective equipment and bakers having no safety training [26][27][28]. Two studies of bakeries in the DR Congo and Benin reported the prevalence of OA as 3.6% and 10% respectively [29,30].…”

PM2.5 in Indoor Air of a Bakery: Chemical Characterization and Size Distribution

“…Occupational asthma is a work-related respiratory disease frequently reported in many countries. Baker's asthma can be caused by immunologic sensitization to specific work-related allergens and subsequent allergic reactions in the airways [8][9][10][11]. The inhalation of wheat flour following exposure to flour dust is the main cause of the onset of this disease/pathology in bakery workers [12][13][14][15][16].…”