High Altitude Illness: Knowledge, Practice, and Attitudes of Porters in Nepal

INTRODUCTION: Porters working at high altitude face a number of preventable health risks ranging from frostbite to potentially fatal high-altitude pulmonary and cerebral edema. Porters are often recruited from impoverished low-altitude areas, poorly equipped in terms of protective clothing, and tasked with carrying loads that equal or exceed their body mass to high elevations. Despite a large population of porters working throughout mountainous parts of the world, there is little documentation regarding knowledge levels, attitudes, and practices related to the prevention of altitude illness in this population. Much of the literature focuses on biomechanics of load carrying for porters or altitude issues for trekkers. METHODS: A cross-sectional survey was developed using a modified Delphi technique. The survey was administered to a convenience sample of porters (n=146) from diverse cultural groups between Lukla (2774 m) and Everest Base Camp (5361 m). RESULTS: Many of the porters started at a young age, carried heavy loads, and had difficulty identifying symptoms of high altitude illness, and less than 20% correctly identified preventive measures for high-altitude illness. CONCLUSIONS: Porters in the Khumbu region continue to face hazards in their working environment. Future research and health education campaigns should address knowledge deficits and help with the design of tailored interventions.