Heart Rate, Stress, and Occupational Noise Exposure among Electronic Waste Recycling Workers

Katrina N. Burns, Kan Sun, Julius N. Fobil and Richard L. Neitzel
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Katrina N. Burns: Department of Environmental Health Sciences, University of Michigan, 1415 Washington Heights 6611 SPH I, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
Kan Sun: Department of Environmental Health Sciences, University of Michigan, 1415 Washington Heights 6611 SPH I, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
Julius N. Fobil: Department of Biological, Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, University of Ghana-Legon, P.O. Box LG 13, Legon, Ghana
Richard L. Neitzel: Department of Environmental Health Sciences, University of Michigan, 1415 Washington Heights 6611 SPH I, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA

IJERPH, 2016, vol. 13, issue 1, 1-16

Abstract: Electronic waste (e-waste) is a growing occupational and environmental health issue around the globe. E-waste recycling is a green industry of emerging importance, especially in low-and middle-income countries where much of this recycling work is performed, and where many people’s livelihoods depend on this work. The occupational health hazards of e-waste recycling have not been adequately explored. We performed a cross-sectional study of noise exposures, heart rate, and perceived stress among e-waste recycling workers at a large e-waste site in Accra, Ghana. We interviewed 57 workers and continuously monitored their individual noise exposures and heart rates for up to 24 h. More than 40% of workers had noise exposures that exceeded recommended occupational (85 dBA) and community (70 dBA) noise exposure limits, and self-reported hearing difficulties were common. Workers also had moderate to high levels of perceived stress as measured via Cohen’s Perceived Stress Scale, and reported a variety of symptoms that could indicate cardiovascular disease. Noise exposures were moderately and significantly correlated with heart rate (Spearman’s ? 0.46, p < 0.001). A mixed effects linear regression model indicated that a 1 dB increase in noise exposure was associated with a 0.17 increase in heart rate ( p -value = 0.01) even after controlling for work activities, age, smoking, perceived stress, and unfavorable physical working conditions. These findings suggest that occupational and non-occupational noise exposure is associated with elevations in average heart rate, which may in turn predict potential cardiovascular damage.

Keywords: electronic waste recycling; occupational health; noise exposure; stress; heart rate (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2016
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (6)

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