SELF REPORTED RISK FACTORS AND HEALTH EFFECTS ASSOCIATED WITH SAWMILLERS IN EGOR, BENIN CITY, NIGERIA

ABSTRACT

This study was conducted to determine self reported risk factors and health effects associated with sawmillers in Egor , Benin city, Nigeria. A cross-sectional study was conducted among two hundred sawmill workers using a well-structured questionnaire across the ten sampling sites. A majority of the reposndents (98.5%) were male while 1.5% were females. The dominant age group of the respondents was 35-44 years (93%). The overall occurrence of self-reported health effects were shortness of breath (50%), wheezing (6.5%), coughing (40%), chest tightness (26.5%), eye itching (71.5%%), skin rashes (19.5%), nose itching (70.5%%) sore throat (63%). xi Reported health effects that were associated with the age of the workers, number of years as sawmill workers, duration of exposure to risk factors and burning of wood dust within the sawmill. For the binomial regression model, the odds of the aged respondents to experience wheezing was greater than one (Odd Ratio (OR) 2.449, 95%(CL)0.316-18.966). It is recommended that the implementation of health education and training programs, regular health monitoring, enforcement of occupational safety regulation and provision of safety equipment can ensure the safety of sawmill workers and reduce impact of these self reported health effects.