Prevalence and determinants of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and chronic lung impairment among wood workers in Tamil Nadu – A cross sectional study

Background: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a chronic respiratory illness which is emerging as a leading cause of death and disability in India. Occupational exposure to wood dust, particularly in the informal sector, is a potentially neglected risk factor for COPD. The study was conducted with the objectives of determining the prevalence and determinants of COPD and lung function impairment among wood workers in India. Methods: A community-based cross-sectional study was conducted from January to June 2024 in Kallakurichi and Tiruvannamalai districts of Tamil Nadu among 210 male wood workers. Portable spirometry examination was conducted to assess the pulmonary function status of the participants. Results: The mean age range of the study participants was 36 (standard deviation = 11.84) years. A total of 22 (10.5%) participants were screened as having COPD. Participants with COPD were significantly older ( P < 0.001) and had been exposed to occupational wood dust for a longer duration (at least 10 years) ( P = 0.004) compared to those without COPD. Only five of the 22 patients with COPD were on standard treatment. Five of the participants detected as having COPD were reportedly asymptomatic. Among 210 woodworkers, 84 (40%) showed lung function impairment manifesting as restrictive in 26 (12.4%), obstructive in 42 (20%), and a mixed pattern in 16 (7.6%) participants. Second-hand smoke exposure was the only statistically significant predictor of lung function impairment ( P = 0.042). Conclusion: More than one in ten persons with occupational exposure to wood dust have COPD, while four in ten experience chronic lung impairment and associated respiratory symptoms.