Assessment of Peak Expiratory Flow Rate and Its Correlation with Working Hours and Years of Experience in Street Vendors in South Pune

BACKGROUND: This study was aimed to assess the peak expiratory flow rate in street vendors in the Southern Pune region and to correlate the readings with working hours and years of experience. The deterioration of the surrounding environment, air, and the soil we live on has been largely attributed to vehicle pollution. There is an increase in the number of vehicles in the urban areas especially the metropolitan cities as compared to the rural areas. This leads to an increase in vehicular emissions which may compromise the quality of the air we breathe. Evaluation of air quality has shown a drastic decline in Air Quality Index with its value being 104 for the Pune region in the year 20241. This declines the quality of air that is inhaled. Street vendors are more vulnerable in this regard because they are exposed to the pollutants and emissions daily for an extended period. Peak expiratory flow rate is a useful indicator of effort-dependent airflow and a stand-in for respiratory function. METHODS: The study enrolled a total of 69 participants of street vendors in the South Pune region. The device used for the assessment was a peak flow meter (Breathometer by Cipla) with a detachable mouthpiece for every individual. Consent was taken and individuals were thoroughly explained the procedure. Three readings were taken and the highest was recorded. RESULTS: The result of this study shows that the mean of Actual PEFR which is 352.54 L/Min was statistically significantly less than the Predicted PEFR value which is 420.52 L/Min with p=0.001. In this study, there was a negative correlation between the number of hours spent on the street increases and the number of working years increases with PEFR with r = -.469 and r = -.494 respectively. CONCLUSION: This study concludes that the respiratory functions of street vendors as measured using PEFR are significantly reduced due to constant exposure to air pollution. Also, it was observed that those who worked for more hours and had more years of experience showed more reduction in PEFR.