Table 3.
Selected symptoms and diseases of the e-waste workers and bystanders on the Agbogbloshie scrap yard.
| Symptoms and Diseases | All n = 178 n (%) |
EW n = 84 n (%) |
BY n = 94 n (%) |
p-Value (Chi-Square) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Infections | 10 (5.6) | 4 (4.8) | 6 (6.4) | ns | |
| Tuberculosis | 7 (3.9) | 2 (2.4) | 5 (5.3) | ||
| Malaria last 12 months | 134 (77.0) n = 174 |
66 (79.5) n = 83 |
68 (74.7) n = 91 |
ns | |
| Diabetes | 2 (1.1) | 1 (1.2) | 1 (1.1) | ns | |
| Digestive problems | 112 (62.9) | 57 (67.9) | 55 (58.5) | ns | |
| Hypertension | 28 (15.8) n = 177 |
15 (17.9) n = 84 |
13 (14.0) n = 93 |
ns | |
| Other cardiac symptoms | 52 (29.6) n = 176 |
22 (26.5) n = 83 |
30 (32.3) n = 93 |
ns | |
| Palpitations | 28 (15.9) | 16 (19.3) | 12 (12.9) | ||
| Chest pain | 21 (11.9) | 5 (6.0) | 15 (16.1) | ||
| Cough | 113 (64.2) n = 176 |
53 (63.9) n = 83 |
60 (64.5) n = 93 |
ns | |
| Mental disorders | Symptoms of anxiety | 68 (38.4) n = 177 |
38 (45.2) n = 84 |
30 (32.3) n = 93 |
ns |
| Symptoms of depression | 61 (34.5) | 30 (35.7) | 31 (33.3) | ns | |
| Symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder | 83 (46.9) | 44 (52.4) | 39 (41.9) | ns | |
| Skin symptoms | 65 (36.7) n = 177 |
36 (43.4) n = 83 |
29 (30.9) n = 94 |
ns | |
| itching | 55 (31.1) | 33 (39.8) | 22 (23.4) | ||
| light sensitivity | 6 (3.4) | 1 (1.2) | 5 (5.3) | ||
| pain | 13 (7.4) | 3 (3.6) | 10 (10.6) | ||
| caused by work 1 | 21 (32.3) | 15 (41.7) | 6 (20.7) | ||
| Shortness of breath | 49 (27.8) n = 176 |
25 (30.1) n = 83 |
24 (25.8) n = 93 |
ns | |
| caused by work 1 | 24 (49.0) | 12 (48.0) | 12 (50.0) | ||
| Red itchy eyes | 105 (59.3) n = 177 |
57 (67.9) n = 84 |
48 (51.6) n = 93 |
<0.05 | |
| Eye injuries | 42 (23.7) n = 177 |
24 (28.6) n = 84 |
18 (19.4) n = 93 |
ns | |
| Hearing loss | 28 (15.8) n = 177 |
14 (16.7) n = 84 |
14 (15.1) n = 93 |
ns | |
| Back pain | 150 (85.2) n = 176 |
76 (91.6) n = 83 |
74 (79.6) n = 93 |
<0.05 | |
| neck | 77 (43.8) | 37 (44.6) | 40 (43.0) | ||
| back | 138 (78.4) | 73 (88.0) | 65 (69.9) | ||
| Work-related injuries | 103 (57.9) | 63 (75.0) | 40 (42.6) | <0.05 | |
| cuts | 95 (53.4) | 60 (71.4) | 35 (37.2) | ||
| burns | 35 (19.7) | 23 (27.4) | 12 (12.8) |
1 Workers were asked if they suspect an association between the symptom and their occupation. ns = not significant.