Prevalence of pterygium among kitchen staff in Senior High Schools in the Kumasi metropolis, Ghana

Abstract

The purpose of the study was to determine the prevalence of pterygium and the risk factors prevailing at the work environments of the kitchen staff in some Senior High Schools (SHS) in the Kumasi Metropolis. A total of 290 kitchen staff and 120 administrative staff (control) were purposively sampled from the 13 SHSs in the Kumasi Metropolis and screened for the presence of pterygium. The risk factors in the work environments were also identified. The prevalence of pterygium stood at 31.0%, with itchy eyes, redness and tearing as the disturbing symptoms of those identified as having pterygium in the kitchen staff and 5.0% for the control group. A total of 22 (35.0%) respondents (kitchen staff) aged 51-60 years and 11 (20.4%) of those aged 21-30 years had pterygium. There was a significant difference in the observed prevalence’s. However there was no significant difference in the prevalence of pterygium depending on the years worked as a kitchen staff. There is a high prevalence (31.0%) of pterygium among kitchen staff in the SHSs in the Kumasi Metropolis. Smoke, fumes from slicing onions, gender and heat (high temperatures) were identified as risk factors for the development of pterygium and other ocular conditions among the kitchen staff.