Respiratory Symptoms among Inuit Carvers in Nunavut

• Published in: The Annals of Occupational Hygiene
• Main Authors: Tofflemire, Karen M., Hessel, Patrick A., Green, Francis H. Y., Yoshida, Ken, Michaelchuk, Dennis, Cowie, Robert L.
• Format: Text
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford University Press 2002
• Subjects: Original Article; Canada; Nunavut; inuit
• Online Access: http://annhyg.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/content/short/46/suppl_1/304; https://doi.org/10.1093/annhyg/46.suppl_1.304

Artists in northern Canada carve soft stones that are mineralogically diverse. In addition, some artists carve organic media such as ivory, bone and antler. In recent decades, power tools have replaced traditional methods for producing artworks, resulting in the production of more dust and finer particles. The objective of this study was to determine whether these artists had increased prevalence of respiratory symptoms related to their work. A cross-sectional survey documented respiratory symptoms of 232 carvers and 232 non-carvers. Logistic regression analysis was used to model the role of exposure in relation to symptoms. Some symptoms suggestive of bronchial responsiveness were found in excess among carvers. However, there was little evidence of exposure–response relationships among these symptoms, an exception being wheeze with chest tightness. Symptoms suggestive of non-specific airway irritation were not found in excess, although the odds ratios for chronic phlegm increased with increasing number of pieces carved. No strongly suggestive patterns were found for cough. Many, but not all, symptoms were more common among those carving organic media in addition to stone.