Objective: To determine the prevalence of cotton dust-related allergic asthma and associated factors among textile workers in Nam Dinh province, Vietnam.
Methods: A cross-sectional study was performed with 1082 workers in two textile garment companies using the asthma diagnostic criteria of the GINA (Global Initiative for Asthma) 2016 guidelines.
Results: Among study participants, 11.9% had suspected asthma symptoms, 7.4% were diagnosed with asthma, and 4.3% (3.6% in men and 4.5% in women) were diagnosed with cotton dust-related allergic asthma. Overweight, seniority more than 10 years, history of asthma, allergic rhinitis, family history of allergy, and exposure to cotton dust from more than one hour per day in the working environment were found to be important predictors of cotton dust-related allergic asthma among textile workers.
Conclusions: Textile workers in two companies in Nam Dinh, Vietnam had a high prevalence of dust-related allergic asthma compared to estimates from the general population. There is a need to design appropriate measures of prevention, screening, and care for dust-related asthma in the textile industry. Further evaluation with better exposure assessment is necessary.
Keywords: Nam Dinh; Vietnam; allergic asthma; cotton dust; textile workers.