Abstract
Background: It is estimated that approximately 55% of the world's population resides in urban areas, a proportion that is expected to increase to 68% by 2050 as stipulated by the United Nations in 2018. Boex, (2018) stated that in South Africa (SA) as elsewhere, urban areas are the engines of economic growth. However, it has led to unmet demand for housing, transport, and employment opportunities. The unfulfilled need for employment and the impact of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has contributed to informal employment, which includes street vending.
Roever & Skinner, (2016) mentioned that street vendors play a crucial role in various countries’ urban economies, and they account for 15% of total urban employment in SA. Street vending is omnipresent in SA’s big cities such as Johannesburg, Tshwane, Cape Town, and Durban, where industries, businesses, and educational institutions are located. Street vendors face numerous occupational challenges, including a lack of infrastructure, long working hours, exposure to biomass fuel, ambient air pollution, and a lack of health and hygiene knowledge for the activities in which they engage.
Aim: This study aimed to establish the prevalence of respiratory health symptoms amongst street vendors in Johannesburg CBD, South Africa.
Methodology: This quantitative cross-sectional study was conducted among 364 street vendors consisting of both men and women aged 18-65 years who met the inclusion criteria and gave consent. Of the total street vendors, 87 were cooking vendors, 243 were merchandise sellers and 99 were service providers (hairdressing, tailoring, cobbling (shoe repair), parking guide/ security, car washing, MTN agents). Some street vendors performed more than one vending activity. Data was collected using closed-ended standardised questions. The trained data collectors who assisted in administering and retrieving questionnaires adhered to the COVID-19 protocol of wearing face masks, using hand sanitisers and maintaining social distance throughout the exercise. The questionnaires were based on the variables under study which are; socio-demographic factors, occupational factors, environmental factors, behavioural factors and respiratory symptoms. The questionnaire was administered by the data collectors to save time and avoid non-answered questions. The data collectors assisted in translating the questionnaires for participants that did not understand English or IsiZulu. Epi Info was used to calculate the sample size, the sampling technique was a non-probability
convenience sampling technique. Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 28.0 was used to capture the raw data and perform the analysis.
Results: The most prevalent respiratory symptom was cough 280 (76.9%), of which 71 (81.6%) were cooking vendors, 188 (77.5%) and 80 (80.8%) provided a service. Cooking vendors that used charcoal had a 22 (91.7%) prevalence of cough and those using LPG had a 47 (78.3%) prevalence of cough. During summer, cough 141 (39.9%) was also the leading respiratory symptom. Cough 44 (46.3%) was the key respiratory symptom experienced by service providers, phlegm 30 (35.3%) was the highest among cooking vendors and nasal congestion 76 (32.2%) and cough 76 (32,3%) were the highest among merchandise sellers. Cooking vendors that use charcoal had the highest prevalence of phlegm 10 (47.1%).
Conclusion: Street vendors in Johannesburg CBD that used charcoal were at a greater risk of getting respiratory symptoms than those who use LPG. Furthermore, vendors who smoke, own a pet and those exposed to some degree of TRAP, dust, climate change were also at a greater risk of getting respiratory symptoms be it in winter or summer.