Carbon Monoxide and Respiratory Disorders in Professional Female Fish Smokers at 2 Artisanal Sites in Benin

Introduction: The use of biomass for cooking is a very common practice in Africa and Benin, and is associated with exposure to organic pollutants. The aim of this study was to assess carbon monoxide exposure and respiratory disorders in women at artisanal fish-smoking sites. Methods: This was a cross-sectional study of women fish smokers at two artisanal fish-smoking sites in Benin. Recruitment was exhaustive. An interview using a respiratory questionnaire inspired by the Union questionnaire, spirometry and carbon monoxide (CO) measurement were carried out. Descriptive analysis and comparison of means using Student’s t-test with a threshold of p = 0.05 were performed. Results: The median age of the 81 people surveyed was 40, with an interquartile range (IQT) of [25 to 75]. The median duration of daily exposure to smoke was 6 h IQT [4, 7]. Of those surveyed, 64 (79.01%) were illiterate and 39 (48.24%) had been working for 20 years. CO levels at the start of activity varied from 89 to 145 ppm in one case and from 40 to 89 ppm in the other. Respiratory symptoms were present in 19 (23.46%);18 (22.22%) had mild airway impairment on spirometry. There was a statistically significant decrease between the mean values of peak expiratory flow (PEF), mean expiratory volume in seconds (FEV1) and forced vital capacity (FVC) before and after exposure to smoke. Conclusion: CO levels are high on fish smoking sites and respiratory problems are common. Improved working conditions are important for these women.

Epidemiological Aspect of Burnout among Careful Staff of A Zone Hospital in Cotonou in 2019

Introduction: Burnout syndrome is one of the many forms of suffering at work that affects healthcare professionals. It is still little diagnosed in Benin. Objectives: the objective was to assess the prevalence of burnout among the nursing staff of a Zone Hospital (HZ) in Cotonou. Study Methods: This was a descriptive and analytical cross-sectional study, which took place from September to October 2019 and included all personnel assigned to care. This has been submitted to the Malasch Burnout Inventory (MBI). The data collected was analyzed using STATA software version 15. A logistic regression made it possible to identify those associated with burnout. The significance level was 5%. Result: A total of 173 caregivers were included, including 118 women, for a sex ratio of 0.47. The mean age was 39 ± 10.1 years. The study population consisted of 33.5% nursing assistants, 24.3% nurses, 24.2% physicians, 7.5% midwives, and 8.6% other health professionals. The prevalence of burnout was 30.6% of which 2.3% were severe cases. As a result of burnout, 33% of officers and 19.08% experienced depersonalization and 10.4% experienced a sense of low personal achievement. The associated factors identified were female sex (p < 0.0001), lack of time devoted to her family (p = 0.04), receiving negative remarks on this lack of availability towards her family (p = 0.04), and work in a poor professional climate (p = 0.03). Conclusion: the prevalence of burnout among caregivers is high. Improving the professional climate and family relations are avenues for prevention.

Prevalence and Associated Factors of Occupational Stress in the Mining Sector: The Case Study of the Youga Mine at Zabre in Burkina Faso

Introduction: Occupational stress (OS) is a public health issue;it affects all sectors of activity in Burkina Faso. General objective: Assess the situation of professional stress and its associated factors among workers at the Youga mine in the municipality of Zabré. Material and Methods: This was a descriptive and analytical cross-sectional study. Data collection took place August 15, 2020 to October 10, 2020 from 324 mine workers who met the inclusion criteria using an anonymous questionnaire. Data analysis was done with EpiDATA3.1 software. The Fisher and Chi-squared tests were used to compare the proportions. A binary logistic regression was performed by the stepwise top-down method. The significance level chosen for the tests was p ≤ 0.05. Results: In our study, 324 workers were included. The average age was 35.84 ± 6.56 years with extremes of 23 years and 58 years. The sex ratio was 8. The prevalence of OS was 26.23% and that of iso strain and lack of rewards were 24.38% and 45.06%, respectively. Factors associated with OS were marital status p = 0.010;higher education level p = 0.032, lack of recognition p = 0.001, intention to change jobs p = 0.009, job security p = 0.035;job satisfaction p = 0.046 and the stress felt by the worker at his job p = 0.003. Conclusion: Occupational stress is a reality in the mining sector in Burkina Faso, our study consisted of evaluating the extent and determining the factors of OS in order to propose preventive measures for the good health of workers.