Evidence map›Paper›PMID 28399867›Full record

ArticleEnvironmental health : a global access science source2017

The protracted waste crisis and physical health of workers in Beirut: a comparative cross-sectional study.

Rami Z Morsi, Rawan Safa, Serge F Baroud, Cherine N Fawaz, Jad I Farha, Fadi El-Jardali, Monique Chaaya

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Environmental health : a global access science source, 2017. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 7 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
7citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

7 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
  2. Health Impact of Household Waste Burning in Khartoum State, Sudan.Risk management and healthcare policy · 2023
    Article
  3. Neglected Tropical Diseases in Lebanon.Acta parasitologica · 2022
    Article
  4. Review
  5. Human rabies control in Lebanon: a call for action.Epidemiology and infection · 2018
    Article
  6. Article
  7. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

7 authors.

Rami Z MorsiFaculty of Medicine, American University of Beirut, Beirut, Lebanon.
Rawan SafaFaculty of Medicine, American University of Beirut, Beirut, Lebanon.
Serge F BaroudFaculty of Medicine, American University of Beirut, Beirut, Lebanon.
Cherine N FawazFaculty of Medicine, American University of Beirut, Beirut, Lebanon.
Jad I FarhaFaculty of Medicine, American University of Beirut, Beirut, Lebanon.
Fadi El-JardaliDepartment of Health Management and Policy, Faculty of Health Sciences, American University of Beirut, Beirut, Lebanon.
Monique ChaayaDepartment of Epidemiology and Population Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, American University of Beirut, Riad El-Solh, Beirut 1107 2020, PO Box 11-0236, Beirut, Lebanon. mchaaya@aub.edu.lb.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundSince July 2015, Lebanon has been experiencing a waste management crisis. Dumpsites in inhabited areas and waste burning have emerged due to the waste accumulation, further adding to the gravity of the situation. However, the association between the crisis and health of the population has not been scientifically reported.

methodsA comparative cross-sectional study was conducted to assess whether exposure to open dumpsites and waste burning is associated with acute health symptoms. The study sample included 221 male workers between the ages of 18-60 years selected from two areas chosen based on their proximity to a garbage dumpsite and waste burning. 110 workers were exposed to a garbage dumpsite and waste burning, and 111 workers were not. Data were collected via a face-to-face interview using a newly developed validated structured questionnaire. Chi-square tests were used to check for statistically significant differences between exposure and covariates. Multivariable analyses using multiple logistic regression were used to compare health symptoms between exposed and unexposed workers adjusting for potential confounders.

resultsThe prevalence of acute health symptoms was greater among the exposed workers than the non-exposed workers, including gastrointestinal, respiratory, dermatological and constitutional symptoms. Controlling for confounding variables, such as age, insurance, family support, residence near dumpsite, work site, and smoking, a minimum odds ratio (OR) of 4.30 was obtained when comparing the exposed population to those non-exposed.

conclusionThe strong association between improper waste management and physical health calls for immediate attention by the government, stakeholders and community members to find optimal solutions for this waste management crisis and set immediate priority interventions such as regular waste collection, volume reduction and recycling performance improvement. However, the long recall period may have underestimated our results.

Indexed as

Waste ManagementAcute DiseaseAdolescentAdultGarbageGastrointestinal DiseasesHumansLebanonMaleMiddle AgedOccupational DiseasesOccupational ExposureRespiratory Tract DiseasesSkin DiseasesYoung AdultDumpsitesPhysical healthWasteWaste burningWaste managementWorkers

Identifiers

PMID28399867
PMCPMC5387191

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY
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Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.