Original Research Article
Year: 2020 | Month: April | Volume: 10 | Issue: 4 | Pages: 151-155
Assessment of Lung Functions in Air Attendants & Normal Adults: An Observational Study
Divya Thakur1, Mayuri Rajesh Shah2, Parita Hardik Kothari2, Vidhi Shah2
1Intern, 2Assistant Professor,
Dr. D.Y. Patil College of Physiotherapy, Pimpri, Pune
Corresponding Author: Divya Thakur
ABSTRACT
Background: In air attendants, due to increased prolonged exposure to radiation they are prone to lung cancers and other health issues. Some of these job related problems become more severe with the number of years of service. Study of lung function is necessary in order to prevent further causes such as lung cancers, breast cancers in female flight attendants due to prolonged radiation exposure.
Method: A total of 20 Air attendants & 20 normal adults performed in Pulmonary function testing using Spirometer to predict the ratio of Forced expiratory volume in first few seconds (FEV1) & Forced vital capacity (FVC) in healthy female and male air attendants and normal adults ranging from age 25 - 35 years. The values of ratio of FEV1 and FVC were monitored and noted using Spirometry device.
Results: The readings were taken with the help of Infotech software for spirometry. The appropriate statistical tests i.e. parametric unpaired t test were applied and analysis showed that p value for FEV1 was <0.05 which was considered to be significant, the p value for FVC was <0.05 which was also significant. However, the ratio of FEV1/ FVC had Mann-Whitney test applied in which p value was >0.05 which is considered to be non-significant. It means that FEV1/FVC ratio of air attendants and normal individuals had no statistical difference.
Conclusion: The study concluded that lung functions i.e., FEV1, FVC, FEV1/FVC ratios were said to be compromised in air attendants than in comparison of normals. The various factors like hours of air travel, years of experience in aviation, exposure to second hand smoke and lifestyle are the ones which are said to contribute in decrease of lung functions.
Key words: Pulmonary function testing, Air attendants.