In a shocking revelation, a new study finds that the average lifespan of goldsmiths in Bangladesh is 59 years only, compare to the national average of 73 years. The Department of Public Health and Informatics (DPHI) of the Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU) conducted the research with the University’s funds.
Associate Professor of the department Dr. Md. Khalequzzaman was the principal investigator of this ‘verbal autopsy-based’ study.
Revealing the findings, he said awareness should be raised among the goldsmiths on the risk behaviours such as smoking, alcohol use.
He said there are 300,000 people are working as goldsmiths in Bangladesh. “We tried to identify their cause of death due to their different kind of occupational risks,” he said, adding that their average lifespan is 59 years only. Among the deaths, 55 percent are mainly due to cardiovascular disease, which includes ischemic heart disease and stroke. From the medical history of the deceased goldsmith workers, the researchers found that 45 percent of them were suffering from cardiovascular diseases and 20 percent had cancer.
Taking non-communicable diseases (NCDs) in account, among the deceased, 65 percent had hypertension, 50 percent had diabetes, 35 percent had heart diseases and 20 percent had kidney diseases. Of the deceased, 75 percent were suffering from two or more NCDs.
From the lifestyle of the goldsmith workers, their cause of death can be briefly assumed. It was found that 70 percent of the deceased goldsmith workers were regular smokers and 20 percent of them took smokeless tobacco. Among the goldsmith workers, 50 percent were regular alcohol users.
Associate Professor of Internal Medicine Dr. Mohammad Tanvir Islam was the coprincipal investigator of the study. Vice-Chancellor of the University Prof. Kanak Kanti Barua, Pro-Vice-Chancellors Prof. Md. Shahidullah Sikder and Prof. Shahana Akhter Rahman and Chairman of the Department Prof. Syed Shariful Islam were present, among others, at the ceremony.
The researchers suggested screening programmes in regular intervals among the goldsmiths to ensure the early detection of NCDs. They also suggested further studies to establish the association of toxic chemicals and heavy metals exposure with disease occurrence and its progression in goldsmith workers.
