Hairdressers in Johannesburg: knowledge, attitudes and practices regarding occupational health

Introduction: Hairdressers are exposed to hazardous chemicals in haircare products, which can cause adverse respiratory, skin, and reproductive effects. The incidence of these effects can be reduced with good occupational health and safety (OHS) knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP). Objective: The objective of the study was to assess Johannesburg hairdressers' knowledge, attitudes, and practices towards occupational health and safety. Methods: Three hundred and eighty-three hairdressers were recruited into this crosssectional study. They were categorised into employees/wage earners (earning a salary or wage, n = 151), or business owners (self-employed, n = 232). Data were collected using an interviewer-administered questionnaire. The data were analysed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 26. Frequency tables were generated and chi-square tests were used to test differences between KAP amongst business owners and wage earners. Results: Most of the study participant were female (n = 237, 61.9%). A higher proportion of business owners than wage earners knew that hairdressing was hazardous to their health, in general (n = 44, 29.1% and n = 120, 51.7%, respectively), and with regard to specific health risks such as asthma, cancer, and skin diseases. However, more of the wage earners than the business owners had good attitudes towards the wearing of personal protective equipment (PPE) such as gloves, (n = 143, 94.7% and n = 210, 90.5%, respectively). Overall, wage earners practised better OHS than business owners, e.g. 67.5% (n = 102) and 55.2% (n = 128) reported that they wore gloves, respectively. Conclusion: Wage earners had poorer OHS knowledge than those who owned or operated hairdressing salons. Both had good attitudes towards OHS, but self-employed hairdressers had poorer OHS practices. Training, including workshops and seminars, is needed to improve KAP regarding OHS amongst all hairdressers, regardless of their employment status.

Effect of occupational exposure on hematological and biochemical parameters in workers at oil and gas companies

Petroleum refineries are largest chemical industries that are responsible for emission of several pollutants into the atmosphere. Benzene and its metabolites are regarded as the most hazardous compounds that are emitted by petroleum refineries. These contribute to toxic oxidants, which cause many serious health risks to petroleum refineries workers. This study was aimed to analyze the effects of chemical exposure on hematological and biochemical parameters among workers at Zawia oil refinery and Mellituh oil and gas refinery companies. A total of 200 workers participated in this study which consisting of two equal groups (each group: n = 100). The first group consists of petroleum refineries workers and the second group consists of non-oil work civil servants serving were recruited as exposed and control subjects, respectively. The results of blood picture, liver enzymes and kidney functions were compared between the groups. Mean white blood cells counts, platelet counts, and hematocrit count were significantly higher, while the mean red blood cells count was insignificantly changed in petroleum refineries workers. While the mean hemoglobin and corpuscular hemoglobin concentration levels were significantly lower, whereas the mean corpuscular volume and mean corpuscular hemoglobin levels were insignificantly changed in petrol refineries workers. Liver enzymes and renal functions were significantly higher in petrol refineries workers. The present findings indicate that occupational exposure to benzene causes significant alterations in hematological and biochemical parameters and workers are at high risk of developing blood, hepatic or renal related disorders. Protection and frequent medical attention should be given to petroleum refineries workers.

Occupational health problems and work practices of hairdressers in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria

There are several million hairdressers worldwide who are chronically exposed to various chemicals used in hairdressing business. This study aimed at determining the occupational health problems and work practices of hairdressers in Uyo, Nigeria. This was a cross-sectional descriptive study carried out in March 2017.The study participants consisted of all consenting hairdressers in Uyo metropolis, Nigeria who had been working for at least 6 months prior to the study. Data obtained was analyzed using STATA 12.1 software. Level of significance was set at 5%. A total of 429 hairdressers participated in the study. The mean age of respondents was 28.5 �7.5 years. Majority, (88.3%) were females and 63.9% were single. Ninety percent had at least secondary education, while 47.6% had worked for > 3years. Health problems reported included back pain 61.5%, tiredness 57.1%, Itching/ redness of hands 43.1%, eye itching 26.1%, catarrh 22.8% and hearing difficulty 17.7%. Injuries included needle pricks 59.0% and cuts 46.9%. Standing for > 8 hours was reported by 33% of respondents. Use of any personal protective equipment (PPE) was 67.6%. The most commonly used was glove 42.7%. Awareness about PPE increased with respondent's level of education (p<0.05).Hand lesions were significantly less among those who used gloves as 95.6% had no chemical burns and rashes, 95.1% experienced no dryness and 63.4% had no itching/redness (p<0.05). The respondents reported several health problems. Work practices included poor use of PPE and prolonged standing. Regular workplace safety training, shift duty and use of ergonomically suitable chairs are advocated for hairdressers

Epidemiology of paediatric poisoning reporting to a tertiary hospital in Ghana

Background. Childhood poisoning is an important cause of morbidity in both developed and developing countries. Epidemiological studies on accidental poisoning in children show a consistent pattern regarding age and gender. Childhood poisoning is predominant in children 6 years of age and has a male preponderance; as boys are more active with a drive to explore the environment. Objective. To document the epidemiology of home poisonings in Kumasi and its environs. Methods. We conducted a retrospective study from January 2007 to January 2012 at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital; a tertiary hospital in Ghana.Results. Poisoning is a significant health problem in the study area. A total of 253 children reported to the hospital with poisoning over the 61-month period; with an average of four cases per month. The male to female ratio was 1.58:1. The median age of the children was 24 months (interquartile range 24 - 48 months). Kerosene was the leading cause of poisoning (39.5%). Conclusion. Paediatric poisoning is a major health hazard in children living in Kumasi and its environs. This can possibly be attributed to a lack of adequate supervision of children and poor storage of harmful substances in homes. Multidisciplinary interventions are needed to reduce the occurrence of the condition in the population at risk

Alcohol use and problem drinking in South Africa: findings from a national population-based survey

Objective: This study formed part of the South African National HIV; Incidence; Behaviour and Communication (SABSSM) 2008 survey; which included questions assessing the extent of alcohol use and problem drinking among South Africans. Method: A multistage random population sample of 15 828 persons aged 15 or older (56.3women) was included in the survey. Alcohol use was assessed using the Alcohol Use Identification Test (AUDIT). Tabulation of data for different age groups; geolocality; educational level; income; and population group produced the estimates and associated confidence intervals. The odds ratios for these variables in relation to hazardous or harmful drinking were also computed. Results: Current alcohol use was reported by 41.5of the men and 17.1of women. White men (69.8) were most likely and Indian/Asian women (15.2) least likely to be current drinkers. Urban residents (33.4) were more likely than rural dwellers (18.3) to report current drinking. Risky or hazardous or harmful drinking was reported by 9: 17among men and 2.9among women. In men; risky drinking was associated with: the 20-54 year age group; the Coloured population group; lower economic status; and lower education. Among women; risky drinking was associated with: urban residence; the Coloured population group; lower education; and higher income. Conclusion: An increase in current; binge drinking and hazardous or harmful drinking prevalence rates was observed from 2005 to 2008 in South Africa. Multilevel interventions are required to target high-risk drinkers and to create awareness in the general population of the problems associated with harmful drinking. Future prospective studies are needed to assess the impact of problem drinking

Evaluation of Occupational Health Services and Hazards in a Car Assembly Plant in Kaduna; Nigeria

Background: The provision of occupational health services in most industries of the developing world has been very rudimentary. Various factors have been adduced to be responsible for this, none availability of protective devices, non-compliance by workers and managerial problems among others. Therefore this study was conducted to evaluate occupational hazards and the provision of occupational health services at Peugeot Automobile Nigeria (PAN), Kaduna.Aim: To assess the extent of occupational hazards and the occupational health services provided by the industry (PAN). Methods: This was a cross sectional descriptive study in which cluster sampling technique was used to sample respondents. Structured, interviewer administered questionnaires with close ended questions were used to collect data.Results: One hundred and ten respondents participated in the study with a mean age of 32.7±2.8 years. Use of protective devices by respondents was: boots 96.3%, hand gloves 100%, and ear plugs 58% respectively. Pattern of occupational hazards were: exposure to chemical fumes 6.4%, noise pollution 40.9%, and chemical burns 9.1% respectively. Conclusion: Occupational hazards and injuries among PAN workers are a frequent occurrence. There is need for sustained public awareness campaigns among the workers and management on the importance of occupational safety to guide against injuries/ accidents at work sites and compliance to the use of protective devices. It is also recommended that the Inspectorate Division of Federal Ministry of Industries should pay periodic monitoring visits to industries in order to ensure a conducive and a safe working environment and also with the facility Act and related laws so as to curtail the rate of accidents and injures in Nigerian industries

Enteroaggregative Escherichia coli: a public health hazard in Yaounde; Cameroon?

The prevalence of various pathotypes of Escherichia coli was investigated during a case-control study conducted in children diarrhoea in Yaounde. Isolates obtained from the stools samples of children aged 6 months to 5 years were selected on phenotypic basis; and identified by virulence genes detection using polymerase chain reactions. The most prevalent pathotype was enteroaggregative Escherichia coli (25.8). Enteropathogenic Escherichia coli (3.6); enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (1); and enteroinvasive Escherichia coli (0.2) followed. No shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli were identified. Enteroaggregative Escherichia coli was not associated with diarrhoea (cases 26.1; controls 25.5; P=0;887); unlike enteropathogenic Escherichia coli (cases 6.7; controls 1; P=0.003). Investigations into documented potentials of enteroaggregative Escherichia coli in causing diarrhoea and other related pathologies indicated that it could be a major public health threat in Cameroon despite the fact that it was not found associated with clinical diarrhoeal cases in this study

Care for People with Diabetes during Haj

Haj is one of the five cardinal components of Islam commonly known as the five pillars of Islam. Approximately two million Muslims perform it each year. Haj involves travel to the holy sites in and around Mecca and Medina during a specified short period of time in a limited space; not usually inhabited by such a large number of people. This article deals with the effects of this event on diabetes and its management. The importance of this arises from the fact during Haj; the person's life routine changes as he travels to a different place of his own for a period of 4-6 weeks where geography; weather; diet; and habits are different. During Haj most people live what is effectively a very basic life in very crowded places. Therefore; medical conditions; such as diabetes; whose management depends on a stable routine; would predictably be affected significantly. People with diabetes should have enough time to consider a management plan for their diabetes. The objectives are to achieve a good control and avoid any complications that may be particularly associated with the conditions faced during Haj

The Smoking Habits; Attitudes Towards Smoking and Knowledge Regarding Anti-Smoking Legislation of Students in Institutions of Higher Learning in the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa

Backgroung: Following the introduction of a new; integrated; problem-oriented undergraduate medical curriculum at the University of Pretoria (UP) in 1997; a research project was undertaken to study interpersonal skills; professional attitudes; teamwork; ethics and related topics - which have come to be known collectively as 'soft skills'. This contribution is the first of two articles on the professional socialisation of medical students and their development of 'soft skills'. It describes the particular qualitative methodology developed for; and applied to; the study of soft skills among medical students at UP.Methods: This paper describes the aim of the study; reasons for adopting a qualitative research approach to achieve this aim; the theoretical orientation underpinning the qualitative approach that we considered most suitable; the design; the sampling; the data management and analysis; and the methods that we deployed to ensure the credibility of the findings.Research Design: The aim of the study was to explore the subjective meanings that students attributed to soft skills; as they understood them. These subjective meanings involve the way students interact meaningfully with fellow students; lecturers and other individuals participating in the medical and clinical education programme; and the way they construct shared conceptualisations of soft skills and medical education in their lives and social world. A qualitative approach was considered most appropriate; as this study set out to uncover subjective and diverse meanings that do not necessarily amount to generalisable truths. The particular qualitative strategy or design used was that of an extended case study; or 'casing'; within the modernist theoretical orientation of symbolic interactionism. Elements of process evaluation were incorporated into the design to account for the process of curriculum reform within which this study was embedded. We recruited participants for this study from two cohorts of students. The first group; who completed their studies in 2001; had followed the traditional curriculum; while the second group; who completed their programme in 2002; had followed the reformed curriculum. The data collection tools were face-to-face individual interviews; focused group interviews and solicited autobiographical sketches. The utilisation of more than one method or data source enabled triangulation or cross-checking of findings. We followed an inductive reasoning approach; which means that we did not search for data to test any hypotheses that had been formulated prior to commencing the study; but focused instead on building constructs that were grounded in or reflected intimate familiarity with the students' world.Conclusion: The modernist qualitative research approach enabled us to uncover; describe and illuminate the subjective points of view on soft skills as expressed by final-year medical students before and after curriculum reform. More specifically; by carrying out an extended case study we were able to perform a process evaluation of the curriculum reform in terms of soft skills and the professional socialisation of the students. This paper outlines how qualitative research methods enabled us to capture and explore aspects of the inner life (social worlds) of these students. Whether they would be the same; similar or different in another setting are questions for further exploration or research : questions prompted by our study in a manner that illuminates the qualities that may be inherent in these subjective meanings

Evaluation quantitative de l'exposition au benzene chez les travailleurs d'une raffinerie au Gabon

Dans les raffineries de petrole; le benzene constitue l'un des risques chimiques les plus preoccupants pour le medecin du travail et pour l'ensemble des acteurs qui s'interessent a la prevention. Afin d'evaluer le degre d'exposition au benzene chez les travailleurs d'une raffinerie du Gabon situee a Port-Gentil capitale economique; une etude transversale prospective a ete conduite sur six mois entre le 1er Avril et le ler Octobre 2004. Sur 384 salaries presents; 100 ont ete retenus par tirage aleatoire simple en fonction du degre d'exposition suppose. Au debut du poste; chaque salarie retenu a fait l'objet d'une enquete au moyen d'un questionnaire qui lui etait remis accompagne d'un badge GABlE. Le. recueil des urines a ete effectue en fin de poste et en fin de semaine ainsi que la recuperation des badges. Les analyses d'acide trans trans muconique (Attm) urinaire et des badges ont ete effectuees dans un laboratoire de toxicologie de Nantes (France). Les sujets retenus etaient tous de sexe masculin et de nationalite gabonaise. 65pour cent des agents avaient au moins 40 ans et 66pour cent avaient plus de 20 ans d'anciennete. La concentration moyenne de benzene dans l'air respiree variait entre 0;0 16 et 0;109 ppm et celle de l'acide trans trans muconique entre 0;023 et 0;083 mg/g de creatinine. Ces valeurs se sont averees inferieures aux valeurs de reference qui sont respectivement de lppm et de lmg/g de creatinine. A l'instar des etudes rapportees par la litterature; nous avons confirme d'une part l'existence des variations interindividuelles dans la biotransformation du benzene inhale en Attm; et d'autre part les correlations existant entre l'Attm et le degre d'exposition au benzene; puis entre l'Attm et le tabac. Une cartographie du benzene; un programme de surveillance des lieux de travail et de la sante des travailleurs; une procedure de travail aux bassins API et un programme d'information sur les risques en milieu de raffinage ont ete proposes a l'employeur L'amenagement du systeme de ventilation du laboratoire; la mise en place d'une politique de traitement des eaux usees et l'actualisation des textes relatifs a la prevention du risque benzenique ont ete formules en guise de recommandations. En raison de la dangerosite de cette substance; la surveillance de l'exposition au benzene doit etre une priorite pour les employeurs et pour tous ceux qui sont concernes par la prevention

The problem of toxic chemical wastes and their deposition in Developing Countries

This paper examines the nature and origin of toxic wastes that eventually find themselves in the environment - the land; sea; acean and the atmosphere. It discusses the problems of waste accumulation; waste treatment and waste disposal in both the industrialised and the developing countries and highlights the adverse effects on plants; animals and human lives of these toxic chemicals. The socio-economic and other factors; which make developing countries targets for the dumping exercises; are highlighted and strategies for combatting such activities are proposed. In conclusion the paper makes general recommendations on environmental issues; stressing the seriousness of the specific hazardous effects of selected types of toxic chemicals and also of substances which on their own; can decompose to yield toxic principles when subjected to atmosphere or microbial interactions