Effectiveness of pulmonary rehabilitation using spirometry, and breathing and walking exercises on quality of life among occupationally exposed silica workers

Background Silicosis is one of the oldest occupational diseases caused by exposure to crystalline silica, leading to serious pneumoconiosis. There is no specific treatment for this disease; only supportive care is recommended. Purpose The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness of pulmonary rehabilitation and nutritional advice in improving lung function and overall quality of life (QoL) among occupationally exposed silica workers. Methods The study was conducted among 160 silica workers after obtaining Institutional Ethics Committee approval and appropriate informed consent. The participants were divided into control (80) and experimental (80) groups. The QoL was assessed using the World Health Organization Quality of Life in Brief (WHO-QoL-BREF) questionnaire along with demographic variables (pre-test). The experimental group underwent spirometry, breathing exercises, and walking exercises 4 days a week for 12 weeks. The QoL was reassessed for the experimental group at 12, 18, and 24 weeks (post-tests 1, 2, and 3). For the control group, reassessment was conducted at 24 weeks (post-test 3). Statistical analysis was performed using Kruskal–Wallis one-way analysis of variance (ANOVE) on ranks. Results Comparison between the control and experimental groups, pre-test, and post-tests revealed overall significance in WHO-QoL-BREF scores across physical, psychological, social, environmental, and total score domains ( P < 0.001 for all). The comparison of pre-test scores between the control and experimental groups did not reveal significance ( P > 0.05 for all). Post-test 3 showed significance ( P = 0.037, <0.001, 0.030, <0.001, and <0.001, respectively). Conclusion This study demonstrates that pulmonary rehabilitation significantly improves the QoL of occupationally exposed silica workers.