Occupational Health Risk of Waste Pickers: A Case Study of Northern Region of South Africa

Table 2

Waste picking and associated health symptoms in the last 1 year.

Health symptoms	Total frequency (%)	Landfill A; n (%)	Landfill B; n (%)	Landfill C; n (%)	value
Respiratory symptoms
Yes	14 (14.28)	—	7 (43.75)	16 (32)	0.006
No	73 (64.04)	48 (100)	6 (37.5)	19 (38)
Did not tell	27 (23.68)	—	3 (18.75)	15 (30)
Total	114 (100)	48 (100)	16 (100)	50 (100)
Gastrointestinal symptoms
Yes	8 (7.02)	—	6 (37.5)	5 (10)	0.002
No	64 (56.14)	47 (97.92)	3 (18.75)	16 (32)
Did not tell	42 (36.84)	1 (2.08)	7 (43.75)	29 (58)
Total	114 (100)	48 (100)	16 (100)	50 (100)
Dermatological (skin) symptoms
Yes	12 (10.53)	8 (16.67)	7 (43.75)	11 (22)	≤0.001
No	60 (52.63)	40 (83.33)	3 (18.75)	17 (34)
Did not tell	42 (36.84)	—	6 (37.5)	22 (44)
Total	114 (100)	48 (100)	16 (100)	50 (100)
Musculoskeletal symptoms
Yes	16 (14.04)	—	10 (62.5)	12 (24)	≤0.001
No	60 (52.63)	38 (79.17)	2 (12.5)	19 (38)
Did not tell	38 (33.33)	10 (20.83)	4 (25)	19 (38)
Total	114 (100)	48 (100)	16 (100)	50 (100)
Eye symptoms
Yes	14 (12.28)	11 (22.92)	8 (50)	6 (12)	≤0.001
No	41 (35.96)	32 (66.67)	2 (12.5)	4 (8)
Did not tell	60 (52.63)	5 (10.42)	6 (37.5)	40 (80)
Total	114 (100)	48 (100)	16 (100)	50 (100)
Ear symptoms
Yes	4 (3.51)	—	3 (18.75)	1 (2)	≤0.001
No	45 (39.47)	41 (85.42)	2 (12.5)	1 (2)
Did not tell	65 (57.02)	7 (14.58)	11 (68.75)	48 (96)
Total	114 (100)	48 (100)	16 (100)	50 (100)
Self-rated health condition
Very good	13 (11.4)	2 (4.17)	7 (43.75)	4 (8)	≤0.001
Good	56 (49.12)	24 (50)	7 (43.75)	25 (50)
Average/fair	36 (31.58)	18 (37.5)	—	18 (36)
Poor	6 (5.26)	4 (8.33)	—	2 (4)
Did not tell	3 (2.63)	—	2 (12.5)	1 (2)
Total	114 (100)	48 (100)	16 (100)	50 (100)
Mental health disorders
At risk	24 (21.05)	8 (16.67)	5 (31.25)	11 (22)	0.460
Not at risk	90 (78.95)	40 (83.33)	11 (68.75)	39 (78)
Did not tell	—	—	—	—
Total	114 (100)	48 (100)	16 (100)	50 (100)
Clinic/hospital visit in the last 1 year
Yes	62 (54.39)	27 (56.25)	3 (18.75)	32 (64)	0.006
No	52 (45.61)	21 (43.75)	13 (81.25)	18 (36)
Did not tell	—	—	—	—
Total	114 (100)	48 (100)	16 (100)	50 (100)
Smoking habit
Yes	50 (43.86)	23 (47.92)	5 (31.25)	22 (44)	0.617
No	63 (55.26)	25 (52.08)	10 (62.5)	28 (56)
Did not tell	1 (0.9)	—	1 (6.25)	—
Total	114 (100)	48 (100)	16 (100)	50 (100)
Alcohol usage
Yes	66 (57.89)	30 (62.5)	4 (25)	32 (64)	0.015
No	48 (42.11)	18 (37.5)	12 (75)	18 (36)
Did not tell	—	—	—	—
Total	114 (100)	48 (100)	16 (100)	50 (100)
Eating at the landfill site
Yes	77 (67.54)	33 (68.75)	11 (68.75)	33 (66)	0.954
No	37 (32.46)	15 (31.25)	5 (31.25)	17 (34)
Did not tell	—	—	—	—
Total	114 (100)	48 (100)	16 (100)	50 (100)
Landfill site safety
Yes	79 (69.30)	39 (81.25)	3 (18.75)	37 (74)	≤0.001
No	35 (30.70)	9 (18.75)	13 (81.25)	13 (26)
Did not tell	—	—	—	—
Total	114 (100)	48 (100)	16 (100)	50 (100)
Infectious diseases
Yes	2 (1.75)	—	—	2 (4)	0.261
No	108 (94.74)	48 (100)	15 (93.75)	45 (90)
Did not tell	4 (3.51)	—	1 (6.25)	3 (6)
Total	114 (100)	48 (100)	16 (100)	50 (100)
Chronic diseases
Yes	1 (0.88)	—	—	1 (2)	0.518
No	111 (97.37)	48 (100)	16 (100)	47 (94)
Did not tell	2 (1.75)	—	—	2 (4)
Total	114 (100)	48 (100)	16 (100)	50 (100)