Work-Related Exposures and Musculoskeletal Disorder Symptoms Among Informal E-Waste Recyclers at Agbogbloshie, Ghana

Acquah, Augustine A.; D’Souza, Clive; Martin, Bernard J.; Arko‐Mensah, John; Quakyi, Isabella A.; Basu, Niladri; Robins, Thomas G.

doi:10.1007/978-3-030-74611-7_93

Cited by 5 publications

(4 citation statements)

References 11 publications

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“…Acquah et al investigated musculoskeletal disorder symptoms among EWW in Agbogbloshie using the Cornell Musculoskeletal Discomfort Questionnaire (CMDQ). 90% of the e-waste workers reported heavy load handling, as well as 79% daily lifting, long walking (53%) and carrying (77%) [ 20 ] (Table 7 ).…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Comparing discomfort and pain prevalence for e-waste workers across body regions, discomfort prevalence was highest in the lower back area [ 21 , 34 ]. For knees, lower legs, and upper arms, chi-square tests revealed statistically significant differences in discomfort prevalence by job category, with the highest discomfort prevalence primarily among collectors [ 20 ]. (Tables 7 , 8 ).…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…General body pain was identified as a major health problem within Mishra’s research [ 34 ]. In Ghanaian e-waste workers pain scores for upper extremities were significantly higher [ 20 ], as well as back pain (including neck) and work-related injuries compared to the control group [ 31 ] (Table 8 ). That also showed the high injury prevalence in a study carried out in Nigeria on three e-waste sites.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Bridging the knowledge gap! Health outcomes in informal e-waste workers

Eckhardt,

Kaifie

2024

J Occup Med Toxicol

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Background Although several studies analyzed the impact of e-waste recycling on human health, most publications did not differ between e-waste workers and bystanders, such as residents. This could lead to an underestimation of health effects in workers. In addition, frequently reported surrogate findings do not properly reflect clinical significant health outcomes. The aim of this review was to analyze the direct health effects of informal e-waste recycling in informal e-waste workers. Methods According to PRISMA guidelines, we systematically searched 3 databases (Embase®, PubMed®, Web of Science) for studies from low- and middle-income countries published in German or English between 1980 and 1 November 2021. Of the 2613 hits, 26 studies (cross-sectional, longitudinal and case-control studies) met the specified criteria and were included. We categorized the results into hormonal, respiratory, renal, cardiovascular, musculoskeletal health and general symptoms in informal e-waste workers. Results Exposure to e-waste was associated with altered lipid metabolism, thyroid hormonal imbalances, impaired fertility, renal dysfunction, increased prevalence of respiratory symptoms, asthma, cardiac arrhythmias, hypertension, musculoskeletal pain, injuries in up to 89% and skin disorders in up to 87.5–100% of e-waste workers. Conclusion Due to inconsistent findings, weak associations or poor study quality, it has rarely been possible to establish a causal relationship between informal e-waste work and health effects, except for injuries or skin conditions. Besides high-quality studies, a collective national and international political focus on e-waste disposal is needed.

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Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Bridging the knowledge gap! Health outcomes in informal e-waste workers

Eckhardt,

Kaifie

2024

J Occup Med Toxicol

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“…Table S1: PRISMA 2020 checklist, Table S2: Search strategies and results from different electronic databases, Table S3: Methodological quality of included cross-sectional studies, Table S4: Methodological quality of included cohort studies, Table S5: List of excluded studies at full-text screening stage with brief reasons, Table S6: JBI Critical Appraisal Checklist for Analytical Cross Sectional Studies, Table S7: JBI Critical Appraisal Checklist for Cohort Studies. References [ 62 , 63 , 64 , 65 , 66 , 67 , 68 , 69 , 70 ] are cited in the supplementary materials.…”

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confidence: 99%

Health Risks Associated with Informal Electronic Waste Recycling in Africa: A Systematic Review

Issah

Arko‐Mensah

Agyekum

et al. 2022

IJERPH

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Informal electronic waste (e-waste) recycling in Africa has become a major public health concern. This review examined studies that report on the association between e-waste exposure and adverse human health outcomes in Africa. The review was conducted following the updated version of the Preferred Items for Systematic Review and Meta-analysis (PRISMA 2020) statement checklist. We included papers that were original peer-reviewed epidemiological studies and conference papers, written in English, and reported on e-waste exposure among human populations and any health-related outcome in the context of Africa. Our results from the evaluation of 17 studies found an association between informal e-waste recycling methods and musculoskeletal disease (MSD) symptoms and physical injuries such as back pains, lacerations, eye problems, skin burns, and noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL). In addition, the generation and release of particulate matter (PM) of various sizes, and toxic and essential metals such as cadmium (Cd), lead (Pb), zinc (Zn), etc., during the recycling process are associated with adverse systemic intermediate health outcomes including cardiopulmonary function and DNA damage. This systematic review concludes that the methods used by e-waste recyclers in Africa expose them to increased risk of adverse health outcomes. However, there is a need for more rigorous research that moves past single pollutant analysis.

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