A STUDY TO EVALUATE RESPIRATORY SYMPTOMS AND LUNG FUNCTION IMPAIRMENT IN BEEDI WORKERS AND USEFULLNESS OF PROTECTIVE MASK IN REDUCING RESPIRATORY SYMPTOMS

Background and Purpose: Problems of the occupational health management are posing serious challenges before the mankind globally. Occupational disease if unaddressed leads to deviation from health. The aim of the study is to study the prevalence of respiratory symptoms and lung function abnormalities and to find out the usefulness of protective mask in reducing respiratory symptoms in tobacco workers. Materials and Methods: Quasi experimental study includes those workers exposed to tobacco dust in beedi industry recruited with minimum of three years of experience and age group of 20 to 40 years. Control group includes age and sex matched subjects who are not exposed to tobacco dust. Results: There were significant difference exist between experimental and control group in the prevalence of respiratory symptoms. How ever there was no significant difference between FEV1 and FEF (25-75) between two groups. Conclusion: Prevalence of respiratory symptoms was found to be in beedi workers and the ventilatory capacity data were similar in both the groups.