Prevalence of Respiratory Symptoms among Quarry Workers in Brunei Darussalam

The mining and quarrying industry is considered a hazardous work sector due to occupational exposure to quarry dust and particulate matter which can result in respiratory illnesses to workers. These occupational respiratory illnesses tend to have a long latency period before a diagnosis is made, and therefore early detection of respiratory symptoms is crucial to prevent the development of chronic irreversible respiratory conditions. This study aimed to assess quarry workers’ self-reported respiratory symptoms and their health-related quality of life (HRQOL) in Brunei.

A descriptive study using convenient sampling method was involving 23 quarry workers from three quarry companies in Brunei. Data was collected using adapted St. George’s Respiratory Questionnaire (SGRQ) which was self-administered to all participants. Data was analyzed using descriptive statistics.

Cough was the commonest reported symptom (26.1%), followed by cough with phlegm (8.6%), shortness of breath (4.3%) and chest discomfort (4.3%) among quarry workers. The mean total SGRQ score was 7.51 (±11.70), while the sub-domain scores for Symptoms, Activity and Impact were 10.60 (±12.37), 6.30 (±11.43) and 7.35 (±15.87), respectively.

The key findings revealed that there was low prevalence of respiratory symptoms in quarry workers. Smoking was associated with quarry workers (p=0.011). Prevalence of respiratory symptoms was higher among workers who were smokers, those working in areas with exposure to quarry materials, and those who had been employed longer. The study’s findings can be utilized by health professionals to plan, implement and evaluate preventative measures for mining and quarrying work settings.