Health Risk Assessment of Informal Food Vendors: A Comparative Study in Johannesburg, South Africa

Maasago Mercy Sepadi; Vusumuzi Nkosi

doi:10.3390/ijerph20032736

Health Risk Assessment of Informal Food Vendors: A Comparative Study in Johannesburg, South Africa

Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2023 Feb 3;20(3):2736. doi: 10.3390/ijerph20032736.

Authors

Maasago Mercy Sepadi¹, Vusumuzi Nkosi^{1

2

3}

Affiliations

¹ Department of Environmental Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, Doornfontein Campus, University of Johannesburg, Johannesburg 2094, South Africa.
² Environment and Health Research Unit, South African Medical Research Council, Johannesburg 2094, South Africa.
³ Faculty of Health Sciences, School of Health Systems and Public Health, University of Pretoria, Pretoria 0001, South Africa.

Abstract

According to the best of our knowledge, there are no critical studies to date about associations between the work environment and prevalence of respiratory diseases and their symptoms among urban informal vendors in South Africa. This study followed a risk assessment methodology to assess the risks associated with the occurrence of respiratory health problems among 617 indoor and outdoor market vendors in the inner city of Johannesburg, South Africa. A walkthrough survey using a checklist was conducted in 16 Markets for identification of respiratory risk factors and description of sanitary conditions. Face-to-face interviews were conducted amongst informal food vendors using a previously validated questionnaire to collect information on demographics and occupational and respiratory health. In addition, a single day area air pollution monitoring of PM_2.5, SO₂, NO₂, CO, and CO₂ was conducted in two stalls (indoor and outdoor). The Chi-squared test of association and frequency distribution were used to analyse data. Female vendors aged between 30 to 39 years dominated the trade. The results revealed that a majority of the vendors' work shifts are longer than the recommended eight hours per day (73%), six to seven days per week (90%), and most of them have been working for six to ten years (41%). Poor sanitary conditions were observed in 75% of the markets. The concentrations of air pollutants at the outdoor markets were much greater than those in the indoor markets. All air pollution concentrations were below the recommended national and international standards. The risk of outdoor vendors developing any symptoms were extremely greater than those of indoor vendors, especially cooking vendors. Upper respiratory symptoms were the highest amongst the vendors. The results demonstrated a significant association between work-related risk factors, such as type of work location, duration, type of cooking fuel or heat, vendor training, frequency of hand hygiene practice, and using of a mask, and the upper respiratory symptoms. Based on the findings, there is a need for formalization of the trade, improvement in infrastructure, respiratory health care assessments, and sustainable educational programs.

Keywords: air pollution; environmental health; occupational health; prevalence; respiratory; risk assessment; street vendors.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Adult
Air Pollutants* / analysis
Air Pollution* / analysis
Female
Humans
Risk Assessment
Risk Factors
South Africa / epidemiology

Substances

Air Pollutants

Grants and funding

This research received no specific grant from any funding agency in the public, commercial, or not-for-profit sectors. The first author received a supervisor-linked bursary from the University of Johannesburg (UJ) Faculty of Health and the UJ 2021/2022 Global Excellence Stature, Fourth Indus-trial Revolution (GES 4.0) Scholarship.