Background: Mortality due to air pollution reached 1,2 million deaths worldwide in 2004 and had been linked to a range of adverse health effects, including respiratory diseases. Microbus drivers are constantly exposed to air pollution and therefore at high risk of lung function deterioration.
Objectives: To assess the magnitude of lung function deterioration and to determine both primary and secondary prevention approaches on microbus drivers.
Methods: This is a cross sectional study among microbus drivers at Kampung Melayu station in October 2014. Data were obtained from interview, body height and weight measurement, spirometry and random capillary blood glucose test. Descriptive analysis was performed to obtain proportion of each variable and to determine the mean or median value.
Results: A total of 101 subjects were recruited by purposive sampling. There were 69.3% microbus drivers who had been working for more than ten years, 76.2% smokers, 8.9% with history of tuberculosis, 44.6% with random capillary blood glucose >140 mg/dl and 34.7% with obesity. There were 30.7% subjects with lung function deterioration, consisting of 90.3% restrictive diseases and 9.7% obstructive diseases. Deterioration was more prominent in those who had been working for more than ten years or had history of tuberculosis.
Conclusion: Deteriorating lung function was found in 30.7% microbus drivers at Kampung Melayu station, East Jakarta, consisting of 90,3% restrictive and 9,7% obstructive diseases. Deterioration was found mostly in subjects working for more than 10 years or having history of tuberculosis.
Key words: Microbus drivers, lung function deterioration, air pollution