Browsing by Author "Pillay, Prabashni."

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A study to determine the prevalence of signs and symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome and de quervains tenosynovitis in garment workers in the eThekwini district of KwaZulu-Natal.
(2012) Pillay, Prabashni.; Rangiah, Pamela.
Introduction: Garment work is repetitive and detailed and requires constant use of the hands. It is no surprise that garment workers are at high risk for developing repetitive strain injuries (RSI’s) (MFL Occupational Health Centre, 1999). Work-related upper limb disorders, popularly known as RSI’s, affect over 370,000 people in Great Britain with 86,000 new cases recorded in 2010. This costs employers almost £300 million in lost working time, sick pay and administration (The Chartered Society of Physiotherapy, 2007). There is however no statistics documented on RSI’s among garment workers found for South Africa. Aim: To determine the prevalence of signs and symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome and de Quervains tenosynovitis. Method: A study using quantitative data was used. A validated questionnaire consisting of open-ended and closed questions was utilized. Data was collected from two hundred subjects of varying age, gender and ethnic group. Information on signs and symptoms and possible risk factors of RSI’s were obtained. The visual analogue scale was used to assess pain, a goniometer to measure active range of movement, the Phalens test, Reverse Phalens test and Finkelsteins test was used to assess the signs and symptoms of the two occupational repetitive strain disorders. Data analysis: All data was captured and analysed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS version 15). Descriptive statistics such as mean, standard deviation, proportions, median, mode and interquartile range was used to summarize the data. Pearson’s Chi Square tests and Fishers Exact tests were used to test for association between two categorical variables. Independent Samples t-tests were used for the difference in age distribution between participants that presented with carpal tunnel syndrome and de Quervains tenosynovitis and of those who did not present with them. The level of significance was set at 0.05. Bar graphs, tables and pie charts were used to depict the results. Results/Discussion: The results of this study indicated that 59% of participants presented with signs and symptoms of de Quervains tenosynovitis and 63% of participants presented with signs and symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome. The prevalence of carpal tunnel syndrome and de Quervains tenosynovitis was 42% and 43% respectively among garment workers in the eThekwini district. In addition, 100% of participants stated that they work under the following conditions, applying weight through the arms, repeated movement, work with their arms in unsupported positions, fast hand movements and holding or grasping for more than 2 hours continuously per day. Seventy two and a half percent of participants stated that their work entailed using vibratory tools for prolonged hours. Pearson’s Chi Square tests showed no association of use of vibratory tools to de Quervains tenosynovitis (P=0.666) or to carpal tunnel syndrome. This is inconsistent with the findings of the study completed by Leclerc et al. (1998) who stated that different dimensions of exposure to physical workload are widely recognised as risk factors. These risk factors include rapid hand motions, repetitive bending and twisting of the hands and the wrist, fast work pace, repetitive grasping with the fingers, mechanical stress at the base of the palm and the palm and the use of vibratory tools (Leclerc et al. 1998). Conclusion: This study has identified the prevalence of signs and symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome and de Quervains tenosynovitis among garment workers. It has also shown that a significant percentage of garment workers presented with symptoms of burning, tingling, itching and numbness in their hands as well as feelings of swollen and ‘useless’ hands. A significant number presented with functional limitations to certain activities of daily living suggestive of the presence of carpal tunnel syndrome. De Quervains tenosynovitis was indicated when a significant number of participants presented with pain, tenderness or swelling over the radial aspect of the wrist as well as functional limitations to certain activities of daily living.
Underweight and overweight in primary school children in eThekwini district in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.
(AOSIS, 2010) Puckree, Threethambal.; Naidoo, Pooveshni.; Pillay, Prabashni.; Naidoo, Therona.
Background: The prevalence of overweight and obesity in children has been increasing worldwide. South Africa has minimal data on childhood body weight. Objectives: This study determined whether school children in the eThekwini district in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, were underweight or overweight. Method: A survey with quantitative and qualitative components was conducted amongst 120 participants between 10 years and 12 years of age. The participants were randomly selected from six public schools in an urban district of the province. A calibrated Goldline bathroom scale was used to measure body weight and a KDS Freo non-elastic measuring tape was used to measure height. A questionnaire consisting of open and close-ended questions collected demographic and lifestyle information. Body mass index (BMI) was calculated from height and weight data. Proportions of obese, overweight and underweight children were calculated and subjected to chi-square tests at the p ≤ 0.05 significance level. All qualitative information was summarised. Results: According to World Health Organization criteria, 66% of the children were underweight, 28% were of normal weight and 5% were overweight. The proportion of underweight children increased with age (64% of children aged between 10 years and 11 years vs 70% for 12-year-olds). Of the underweight children, 41% were female and 51% were Indian.Only one child was obese. BMI was related to dietary patterns and activity levels during and outside school hours. Conclusion: A significant number of primary school children from the six selected public schools in the eThekwini district were underweight. More effort is required to improve the nutritional status of school children in the eThekwini district.