• Olenga LofutaPierre VuvuPVResearch Unit in Rehabilitation Sciences, Faculty of Motor Sciences, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Brussels, Belgium., Malgorzata Klass, Nathalie Pauwen, Augustin Mboko Kipula, Philippe van de Borne, Alain van Muylem, Silvia Perez-Bogerd, and Gael Deboeck.
• Research Unit in Rehabilitation Sciences, Faculty of Motor Sciences, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Brussels, Belgium.
• Chest. 2024 Aug 13.

BackgroundOccupational exposure to charcoal smoke and dust is a threat to workers' respiratory systems.Research QuestionWhat is the prevalence of COPD in charcoal workers as compared with farmers in rural areas of Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC)?Study Design And MethodsThis cross-sectional, comparative, and multisite study was performed in the charcoal-producing provinces of southwestern DRC. We randomly included charcoal workers and compared them with farmers (age range, 18-70 years). Air quality indexes, anthropometric features, physical activity, sociodemographic characteristics, and related medical events data were recorded. A lung function questionnaire was used to assess respiratory symptoms and spirometry was performed. COPD was defined as the presence of respiratory symptoms for > 3 months with an FEV1 to FVC ratio less than the lower limit of normal. The prevalence of COPD was calculated, and logistic regression was used to identify COPD-associated factors.ResultsWe included 485 participants between August 2020 and July 2021. Charcoal producers (CPs; n = 229) were compared with farmers (n = 118), and charcoal saleswomen (CSs; n = 72) were compared with vegetable saleswomen (VSs; n = 66). Respective groups were similar in age, job seniority, height, and weight. The air was more polluted at charcoal workplaces. The prevalence of COPD was higher in CPs than in farmers (39.7% vs 14.4%; P < .0001) and higher in CSs compared with VSs (40.3% vs 13.6%; P < .0001). Being a charcoal worker was associated independently with COPD in the CP and farmers groups (adjusted OR, 3.54; 95% CI, 1.94-6.46) and in the saleswomen group (adjusted OR, 7.85; 95% CI, 2.85-21.5), where it was also associated independently with young age (adjusted OR, 0.85; 95% CI, 0.80-0.93) and monthly income (adjusted OR, 0.88; 95% CI, 0.83-0.96).InterpretationIn rural areas of DRC, producing or selling charcoal is associated with a higher risk of COPD.Copyright © 2024 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

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