EFFECT OF CONTROL-BASED ASTHMA MANAGEMENT STRATEGY ON OCCUPATIONAL ASTHMA AMONG FLOUR MILL WORKERS.

Abstract

Background: Flour dust is a respiratory sensitizer and is known to cause occupational asthma. The asthmatic
flour mill workers need effective occupational asthma management to achieve clinical control of the disease and maintain
that control through the implementation of control-based management strategy.
Aim: To evaluate the effect of control-based asthma management strategy on occupational asthma control among flour mill
workers in Giza Governorate.
Design: A quasi-experimental one group pretest-posttest design was utilized.
Sample: A purposive sample of 122 flour mill workers with occupational asthma.
Setting: This study was conducted at El-Haram mill of South Cairo & Giza Mills & Bakeries Company, was selected to
implement the study.
Toolsof data collection: Five tools were used: a- Occupational Asthma Questionnaire, b- Inhaler Adherence and
Satisfaction Questionnaire, and c- Inhaler Technique Observational Checklist, d- Workplace Observational Checklist, eSpirometry Test Record.
Results: Moderate occupational asthma represented 31.1% of workers in pre-test which decreased to 28.7% and 18% in
post and follow-up tests respectively. Also, the percentage of workers who had normal lung function increased from 27.9%
in pre-test to 49.3% the in-follow-up test. There was a significant increase in inhaler adherence and satisfaction mean scores
in post and follow-up tests than in pre-test. There was lack of most of the preventive measures in pre and follow-up tests.
Recommendation: Periodic medical examination for flour mill workers for early detection of occupational asthma. In-job
training for workers on preventive measures of occupational asthma