We have documented through research conducted over the past 7 years, the emergence of an important new respiratory disease hazard to the agricultural population. The specific population at risk is the estimated one-half to one million persons who work in livestock confinement buildings. Important constituents of this occupational exposure include ammonia hydrogen sulfide and respirable particulate containing grain dust and endotoxin. Seventy to 90% of workers in swine confinement structures experience airway disease, 55% experience chronic bronchitis, and at least 14 workers have died suddenly from acute respiratory distress and systemic toxicosis. This health hazard promises to become more serious because of the growing population at risk and the increasing probability of irreversable lung damage which increases with length of exposure. The ultimate project goal is to prevent respiratory disease in swine confinement workers through improvement of their work environment and proper use of personal protective equipment. The principle aim of the proposed project is to conduct and evaluate an education research and demonstration program for confinement house workers, consisting of education plus on-the-farm consultation aimed at improving the work environment and reducing respiratory illness through improved work practices, implementation of industrial hygiene and engineering controls, and initiation of proper use of respirators. A group of 90 swine farms using confinement production methods (approximately 240 workers) will be randomly selected and enrolled in the study. The farms will be divided randomly into an intervention and non-intervention group of 45 farms each. We will measure the effects of the intervention strategy on prevention of respiratory exposures and respiratory illness at two different times. Intervention will include first an extensive educational program, followed by an intensive on-the-farm consultation program aiming to provide specific recommendations on work practices, engineering control methods, and personal protection to prevent significant exposure. During and following intervention, visits will be made to each farm (intervention and non-intervention) to gather data on: 1) knowledge base, attitudes, and behavior with respect to effects of the work environment on their respiratory system, 2) symptoms and history of respiratory illness, 3) pulmonary functon, and 4) levels of environmental pollutants. These data will be compared to baseline data gathered prior to intervention. Finally, the effectiveness of the two components of intervention will be evaluated, and a dissemination strategy will be developed.
NIH ExPorter
NIH ExPorter