Young Adult Street Vendors and Adverse Respiratory Health Outcomes in Bangkok, Thailand.
10.1016/j.shaw.2017.02.002
- Author:
Saisattha NOOMNUAL
1
;
Derek G SHENDELL
Author Information
1. Rutgers School of Public Health, Center for School and Community-Based Research and Education (NJ Safe Schools Program), New Brunswick, NJ, USA. shendedg@sph.rutgers.edu
- Publication Type:Brief Communication
- Keywords:
respiratory protective masks;
respiratory symptoms;
street vendors;
Thailand;
urban environment
- MeSH:
Air Pollutants;
Air Pollution;
Commerce*;
Humans;
Masks;
Particulate Matter;
Personal Protective Equipment;
Prevalence;
Smoke;
Smoking;
Thailand*;
Young Adult*
- From:Safety and Health at Work
2017;8(4):407-409
- CountryRepublic of Korea
- Language:English
-
Abstract:
Air pollutants of concern include traffic-related air pollution, including particulate matter in respirable coarse and fine size fractions. There are no critical studies to date into associations between knowledge, awareness, and attitudes in using proper respiratory masks and prevalence of respiratory symptoms among urban street vendors in Thailand. In this study, we estimated adverse respiratory health outcomes among street vendors, in particular young adults, in Bangkok, Thailand, using a self-report questionnaire. Street vendors, who were not currently smoking and not having known diagnosed respiratory diseases, were recruited. They were selected from selected roadsides at Chong Nonsi, Bangkok. Participants (n = 30) reported having lower respiratory (50%), upper respiratory (37%), and other symptoms (70%). Also, 53% of participants had never used respiratory personal protective equipment (PPE: masks). Among those using PPE, all used masks not proper for particulate matter. Results suggested knowledge, awareness, and attitudes concerning proper PPE use needs to be increased among street vendors in Bangkok, Thailand.
