RESUMEN
Although health disorders of active and secondhand smoking have been extensively investigated, researches on tobacco industry workers with special emphasis on neurobehavioral deficits are very limited. Previous reported disorders have been attributed to workplace related factors [e.g., ill-ventilation, damp conditions and dust from grinding tobacco leaves]. Tobacco industry workers are usually young adults with a significant proportion of females. This occupational group is at high exposure risk that necessitates early intervention policies especially in the developing countries. This study aims to assess neurobehavioral performance among tobacco industry Egyptian workers, and its relation with biomarkers of exposure. This is a cross-sectional study. Exposed participants [n= 80] were randomly recruited among workers in a tobacco processing plant at Menoufia governorate. Control participants were selected among workers' relatives who never worked in tobacco industry. All participants filled a predesigned questionnaire on personal and occupational histories and completed a battery of neurobehavioral tests. Pulmonary function tests [FEV 1%] were performed to all participants. Laboratory examination to measure carboxy haemoglobin and urinary cotinine levels was done. Performance on five out of eight administered neurobehavioral tests was significantly lower among exposed than control participants. These tests showed significant dose-response relationship with urinary cotinine levels [ng/mL] and not with carboxy Hb% after controlling for the potential confounders of age, sex, education, and smoking also no statistical difference was detected between both groups regarding FEV1%. Neurobehavioral tests can be used as an intervention tools for earlier detection and evaluation of health effects in tobacco industry than pulmonary function tests