Air quality index and cardiovascular risk factors among automobile technicians in Southwest Nigeria

Abstract

Background: Prolonged inhalational injury among automechanics may predispose them to increased oxidative process and cardiovascular diseases. This study was aimed at describing air quality index and pattern of cardiovascular risk factors among automechanics in Ogbomoso, Nigeria. Materials and Methods: One hundred and three automechanics were randomly recruited from Ogbomoso, Nigeria. Demographic and clinical parameters were collected. Cardiovascular risk factors were assessed. Air quality sampling was done using the gt-321 particle counter. Statistical analysis was done using SPSS 18.0. Results: The mean age of the study participants was 38.54 ± 11.94 years. The prevalence of cardiovascular risk factors among the study participants was hypertension (25.2%), low high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (45.6%), elevated low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (29.1%), and hypercholesterolemia (26.2%). The air quality index for particulate matter (PM)_2.5were often three to five times higher than average 24 h mean in urban centers and more than 10 times the total annual mean. Similarly, average PM_10,7,4and total suspended particle(TSP) were also significantly higher in automechanic workshops compared to the average urban measure of air quality index reported in 2014. Conclusion: Air quality indices around autotechnicians workshop are very poor. Cardiovascular risk factors such as hypertension and dyslipidemia still occur frequently among automechanic despite their high physical activity. Proper automobile and emission control and implementation of workplace protection are advised to minimize the impact of air pollution on automechanics in Nigeria.