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 INTRODUCTION

The effect of dust and its particles on respiratory health is a matter of great concern to public health. Humans are exposed to different kinds of dust, they include; dust storms, wood dust, sand dust, dust from processed foods (coffee), and factory dust (cement) (Nikmah, 2020; Bratveit et al., 2021, Aghababaeian et al., 2021; Awoke et al., 2021, Hashemi et al., 2018; Fussell and Kelly, 2021). Dust particles pollute the air leading to serious respiratory dysfunction. Dust is one of the harmful particles in the atmosphere and is also composed of bioaerosols and plant particles (Hashemi et al., 2018). The mechanism by which it affects the respiratory system is affected by dust is through breathing.  During breath in the air, tiny particles are deposited in the lower part of the respiratory system (especially at pulmonary ventilation). Such particles that settled down the respiratory tract are not accessible to mucociliary clearance (a regulatory mechanism known as self-cleansing of the body) (Johncy et al., 2014). Thereby stimulating abnormal reactions of the lungs, which leads to airway irritation, fibrosis, asthma exacerbation, and inflammatory reactions (Hashemi et al., 2018).

Some of the effects of short-term exposure to dust on the respiratory system include may lead to damage of the lungs (Hashemi et al., 2018). Short-term effects here connote during or immediately after the exposure. For example, several researchers have reported short term effects of dust storm exposure on the respiratory system to include increased respiratory mortality, emergency conditions, hospital admission, decreased pulmonary function, and other symptoms (Aghababaeian et al., 2021; Khaniabadi, et al., 2017; Stafoggia et al., 2016).

Regarding long term effects (resulting from long term exposure-for occupational exposure), some researches have shown that persistent exposure to dust leads to permanent ill-health conditions, such as persistent coughing, eye irritation, lung tissue swelling, asthma, throat infection, and impaired lung function, were prevalent among individuals exposed to occupational dust (Hashemi et al., 2018). According to Erhbor, (2021) respiratory health is vital and should not be played with. Our environment and occupation play a major role in our health. For example, farmers are at a high risk of developing respiratory issues that can impair their lung function (Oyebanji et al., 2021). According to one study on ‘Effects of dust exposure on the respiratory health symptoms and pulmonary functions of street sweepers’, it was evident that their sweeping occupation affected their pulmonary function parameters. Thus, they conclude that using personal protective equipment is essential for those exposed to occupational dust to protect their respiratory health (Hashemi et al., 2018). Another study on occupational dust from processed food (coffee), saw that the risk for developing chronic respiratory symptoms and decreased lung function was high among the coffee production workers (Bratveit et al., 2021). Also, a review work on the wood dust effect on the respiratory system, discovered that the pulmonary function decreased in different studies on individuals exposed to occupational wood dust (Nikmah, 2020). Therefore, it is important to investigate more on different ways our respiratory health is being affected by dust.

AIM

• To determine the effect of dust on respiratory health

SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES

• To determine the effect of different dust on pulmonary function
• To determine the effect of different dust in relation to the respiratory mortality rate
• To determine the effect of different dust in respiratory diseases (Chronic obstructive disease, asthma, allergic respiratory disease, and others)
• To understand the role dust plays in airborne diseases
• To understand the mechanism of dust in exacerbating asthma disease

RESEARCH PROBLEM

Our environment and occupation determine our health status. Dust and its particles target the respiratory system to damage essential organs (Aghababaeian et al., 2021; Khaniabadi, et al., 2017). The respiratory system is responsible for breathing (we inhale oxygen and exhale oxygen), and the oxygen we take in passes through the lungs to get to the heart, and then it gets circulated to every other system in the human body. Therefore, any impairment to the respiratory system affects the whole body. Also, the International Labour Organization stated that every year 2.4 million people die as a result of their occupation due to illness developed from their work (Nikmah, 2020).  Hence the present research aims to investigate the effect of dust on respiratory health.

RESEARCH QUESTIONS

• What effect does dust have on pulmonary function?
• What is the association between dust and respiratory mortality rate?
• How do kinds of dust affect respiratory diseases (Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, asthma, allergic respiratory disease, and others)?
• Does dust play any role in airborne diseases?
• What is the mechanism by which dust exacerbates asthma disease?

SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

Several studies have shown that dust has a causal relationship between dust and pulmonary function impairment and lung dysfunction (Nikmah, 2020; Hashemi et al., 2018; Bratveit et al., 2021). However, there is yet solid evidence to establish the role of dust on respiratory health and diseases. For example, whether there is a plausible relationship between dust and asthma, or dust on chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases (COPD). Also, there is limited research that has reviewed occupational dust and environmental dust. Therefore, this present study aims to review the literature to determine the effect of different dust on respiratory health.

METHODOLOGY

• Study Design: This review will concentrate on reviewing current literature to determine the effect of dust and respiratory health. In the search for this literature, keywords such as “Dust”, “Respiratory health”, “Respiratory system”, “Occupational dust”, “Sand dust”, “Dust storm”, “Respiratory diseases’’, and other related terms will be utilized. Databases such as Pubmed/ Medline, Google Scholar, Cochrane library, will also be used to source data Also, Inclusion and exclusion criteria will be used in selecting relevant literature for this study.
• ANALYSIS

The following will be used for analysis in this review, they are; cluster analysis (CA) and/or factor analysis (FA), and/or principal component analysis (PCA). The results will be presented as odds ratios (OR).

• RISK ASSESSMENT

The risk assessment conducted for this project is provided in the table below:

Table 1:  Risk assessment

• SCHEDULE

    Table 2: Project Plan

References

Aghababaeian, E., Ostadtaghizadeh, A., Ardalan, A., Asgary, A., Akbary, M., Yekaninejad, M.S. and Stephens, C. (2021) Global Impact of dust storm: A systematic review, Environmental Health Insights, 15: 1–28

Awoke, T.Y., Takele, K.A., Mekonnen, T.W., Abaya, S.W., Zele, Y.T., Alemseged, A.E. and Abay, G.B. (2021) Assessment of dust exposure and chronic respiratory symptoms among workers in medium-scale woodwork factories in Ethiopia; a cross-sectional study. BMC Public Health 21:309.

Bratveit, M., Abaya, S.W., Sakwari, G. and Moen, B.E. (2021) Dust Exposure and Respiratory Health Among Workers in Primary Coffee Processing Factories in Tanzania and Ethiopia. Front. Public Health 9:730201.

Erhabor, G.E. (2021) Respiratory health in Africa: Strides and challenges. Journal of the Pan Africa Thoracic Society, 2(1): 11-17

Fussell, C.J and Kelly, J.F. (2021) Mechanisms underlying the health effects of desert sand dust. Environmental International Elsevier, 157: 106790

Hashemi, H.R., Nasibi, S.H., Paridokht, F., Ramrudinasab, F., Behmadi, A., Khosravi, B. (2018) Effects of dust exposure on the respiratory health symptoms and pulmonary functions of  street sweepers. Malays J Med Sci. 25(6):76–84.

Johncy, S.S., Dhanyakumar, G. and Kanyakumari, T. (2014) Chronic exposure to dust and lung function impairment: a study on female sweepers in India. Natl J Physiol Pharm Pharmacol. 4(1):15–19.

Khaniabadi, Y.O, Daryanoosh, S.M. and Amrane, A. (2017) Impact of middle eastern dust storms on human health. Atmos Pollut Res. 8(4):606-613.

Nikmah, F. (2020) Literature Review: Risk Factors Wood Dust Exposure on Workers Lung Status. Jurnal Kesehatan Lingkungan, 12(3): 200-210

Oyebanji,  F.F., Ana, G.R.E.E., Mijinyawa, Y. and Ogunseye, O.O. (2021) Predicting Exposure to Dust Particles Using Spirometric Index and Perception Studies among Farmers in Selected Farm Settlements in Ogun State, Nigeria. Aerosol Air Quality Research, 12(1): 1-15

Stafoggia, M., Zauli-Sajani, S. and Pey J. (2016) Desert dust outbreaks in southern Europe:        Contribution to daily PM(1)(0) concentrations and short-term associations with mortality    and hospital admissions. Environ Health Perspect. 124(4):413-419.

Last updated: Jan 14, 2022 09:37 AM