Prevalence and Factors Associated with Chronic Low Back Pain in the Mining Sector in Burkina Faso

Introduction: Low back pain is nowadays a real public health problem in companies. The objective of the study was to determine the prevalence and factors associated with chronic low back pain among workers of a mining company in Burkina Faso. Material and Methods: This was a descriptive and analytical cross-sectional study with a retrospective collection that took place from August 1, 2021 to March 16, 2022 in a gold mine in Burkina Faso. It focused on mine workers who participated in the 2019 annual medical visit. Results: Out of a total workforce of 880 workers who took part in the annual medical visit in 2019, 165 had chronic common low back pain, i.e. a prevalence of 18.75%. The average age of low back pain workers was 37.21 ± 7.5 years. Among the workers suffering from low back pain, 62 (37.58%) held the position of machine operator. Clinically, mechanical pain was found in 113 low back pain workers (76%) and twenty-nine (17.58%) had radicular pain. Standard radiography of the lumbar spine was abnormal in 129 workers (78.18%. In the univariate analysis, the factors associated with the pathology were sex, level of study, work station and seniority in the position. After a logistic regression, the factors associated with its occurrence were whole-body vibration (Fisher’s test = 12.7541;P = 0.000), male sex (Fisher’s test = 8.363;P = 0.004), and seniority for 4 to 5 years (Chi2 = 4.0234;p = 0.046). Conclusion: The study reveals the existence of chronic low back pain cases among the workers of the mining company. There is a predominance of the pathology in men, workers exposed to vibrations and those with a seniority of 4 to 5 years. It is necessary to establish a policy of prevention of low back pain for the benefit of workers, in particular those exposed to vibrations.

Prevalence and Tasks Associated with Respiratory Symptoms among Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment Handlers in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso in 2019

Introduction: The uncontrolled management of waste electrical and electronic equipment (W3E) causes respiratory problems in the handlers of this waste. The objective was to study the stains associated with respiratory symptoms in W3E handlers. Methods: The study was cross-sectional with an analytical focus on W3E handlers in the informal sector in Ouagadougou. A peer-validated questionnaire collected data on a sample of 161 manipulators. Results: the most common W3E processing tasks were the purchase or sale of W3E (67.70%), its repair (39.75%) and its collection (31.06%). The prevalence of cough was 21.74%, that of wheezing 14.91%, phlegm 12.50% and dyspnea at rest 10.56%. In bivariate analysis, there were significant associations at the 5% level between W3E repair and phlegm (p-value = 0.044), between W3E burning and wheezing (p-value = 0.011) and between W3E and cough (p-value = 0.01). The final logistic regression models suggested that the burning of W3E and the melting of lead batteries represented risk factors for the occurrence of cough with respective prevalence ratios of 4.57 and 4.63. Conclusion: raising awareness on the wearing of personal protective equipment, in particular masks adapted by W3E handlers, favoring those who are dedicated to the burning of electronic waste and the melting of lead could make it possible to reduce the risk of occurrence of respiratory symptoms.