Effect of Ambient Air Pollution on Respiratory Health of Market Women at Agbogbloshie Food Market in Accra, Ghana

Abstract

Background: Exposure to air pollutants could lead to a variety of health effects depending on the type of pollutant. amount of the pollutant exposed to, duration, frequency of exposure, and associated toxicity of the specific pollutant. Exposure to pollutants such as particulate matter (PM), carbon dioxide (CO2), ozone (O3). carbon monoxide (CO) and nitrogen dioxide (N02) are known to impact adversely on respiratory health. Agbogbloshie market is a large open food market. which is also in the vicinity of a famous electronic recycling and dumpsite, and market women are constantly being exposed to environmental pollution. Objective: The aim of this study was to assess the effect of ambient air pollution on the respiratory health of market women at the Agbogbloshie open food market. Methodology: A cross-sectional study was used to assess the prevalence of symptoms of respiratory infections among market women. This was done using a structured questionnaire and spirometry. Also, the Aerocet Comet 860 and the Hobo C02 monitors were used to measure ambient levels of Particular Matter (PM) and Carbon dioxide (C02) respectively Chi- square analysis were computed to find the relationship between ambient air pollutants and respiratory symptoms. Association between pulmonary function and independent variables were assessed using multiple linear regression analysis and spearman's rank correlation was used to test the strength of association between pulmonary function indices, blood pressure and age. Statistical analysis was done in STATA software version 14.1. Results: All market women studied had high prevalence of cough, colds, sore throat and repeated sneezing (100%). Mean values of lung function test ± SD were FVC (l) = (2.40±O.69). FEV I (Lis) = (1.78± 0.50). FEV1IFVC = (0.75±O.II) and % Pred. (FEV1) = (77.8±20.62).There was no significant relationship between lung function and respiratory symptoms from the p-values for cough, sneezing. wheezing. shortness of breath, and chest tightness when unadjusted. After adjusting for the joint effects of these variables, traders who were alcohol users had an average lung function of 0.122 (12.2%) less than those who did not, p=O.OOS. Conclusion: This study showed that Agbogbloshie market women have a high prevalence of respiratory symptoms such as cough, colds, sore throat and repeated sneezing, reduced pulmonary function indices. There was no significant statistical relationship between respiratory symptoms and ambient air pollutants.