UNDERSTANDING DRIVERS OF POULTRY FARMING ON THE USE OF PPE AND THE RISK ASSOCIATED WITH RESPIRATORY TRACT INFECTION IN PLATEAU STATE0

Abstract

Poultry farming serves as a source of income and livelihood for small-scale farmers particularly women and the youth, contributing to poverty reduction and economic empowerment. It provides and contribute to food and
nutrition security, as poultry products are a valuable source of animal protein and essential micronutrients and serve as a livelihood of many resource-poor farmers often being the only asset they possess. Poultry farming is combated with several diseases, including respiratory infectious diseases, which slow down production and affect negatively poultry welfare and productivity. The use of personal protective equipment PPE as a preventive measure against workplace hazards among poultry workers is important and suitable sufficient personal protection, hence, a need for this study. The most occupationally related health problems widely reported among poultry farm workers are respiratory tract problem ranging from asthma, pneumonia, bronchitis and avian influenza. The study aim at understanding drivers of poultry farming on the use of PPE and the risk associated with respiratory tract infection in plateau state. The study design used was a cross sectional descriptive survey. A total of 150 farmers were randomly selected from 6 poultry farms in Plateau State. Data was collected using questionnaires distributed and a multistage sampling technique was used to select  respondents. Data was analyzed using statistical package for social science (SPSS) version 27.0 which shows that majority of the respondents were males (70%) and (87.5%) were indigene. Educational attainment of the respondents ranged from secondary education (55%) to non-formal education (2.5%). 55% of the respondents spend 6 hours at their workplace; with 10% working in the poultry industry for more than 15 years. 87.5% of the respondents were
aware of respiratory health problems associated with poultry farming; 75% indicated awareness of the use of Personal Protective Equipment while at work. In conclusion, respiratory symptoms such as cough were widely
reported by poultry farm workers. Use of PPE was low and duration of work years had a significant influence on the respiratory symptoms. The results emphasized the need for increased investment in the provision and enforcement of internationally recommended personal protective equipment (PPE), including comfortable nose and face masks, protective goggles, hand gloves, and overalls. Such measures would help reduce the burden of respiratory diseases among poultry workers. Furthermore, strengthening
occupational health laws is essential to ensure collaboration between healthcare and agricultural workers for the early identification and prompt reporting of respiratory symptoms, enabling timely intervention.