Table 8 General self-reported health outcomes

Mishra [2019]

Scoping Review: literature research (01/01/2010–01/01/2018) using 3 databases (PubMed, Web of Science, ScienceDirect)

E-waste workers from Ghana, India and Nigeria in overall 10 studies (5 quantitative cross-sectional studies, 3 qualitative studies, 1 mixed-methods study, 1 exploratory study)

Health Problems sorted in 5 categories: Physical injuries; Respiratory health problems; Skin problems; Musculoskeletal problems; Other general health problems

Physical injuries such as cuts were reported in 96% of EWWs in Ghana and 59.9% in Nigeria. In 3 other qualitative studies (Ghana and India), cuts and burns were the most common injuries.

Breathing difficulties, coughing and chest pain were reported by EWWs in Ghana, India and Nigeria. Various skin problems such as fungal infections, itching, rashes, skin irritations and scars were reported by EWWs in Ghana and India.

Musculoskeletal problems were a relevant helath problem for EWW. Other general health problems such as hearing loss, overweight, obesity, accidents at work were reported.

Decharat [2018]

Cross-sectional: exposed e-waste worker (EWW) vs unexposed control group (CG), Thailand, May–August 2016

Overall n = 79 participants (47 males, 32 females) from 25 e-waste shops

54 EWW

41 office workers Control Group (CG)

Survey incl. General information, use of personal protective equipment (PPE) Urine samples

The symptom prevalence differed by work position, and showed significantly more insomnia, muscle atrophy, weakness and headaches in EWW compared to the control group (p < 0.001).

Yohannessen et al. [2019]

Cross-sectional: 2 groups of informal e-waste worker (IEWW) vs formal EWW/ control group (CG), Chile, July–August 2017

Overall n = 93 participants (n = 24 female, n = 69 male)

53 informal EWW from Santiago (IEWW-S)

25 informal EWW from Temuco (IEWW-T)

15 formal EWW as Control Group (CG)

Questionnaire incl. Sociodemographic information, self-reported health injuries, stress, exposure to noise

Health assessment, Cohen’s perceived stress scale, visual analogous scale (VAS)

Blood and urine samples

Symptoms experienced in the past 2 weeks such as headache or dizziness, breathing problems, nausea/abdominal pain, skin rashes, fever, blood in urine or stool were non-significantly more frequently reported by informal EWWs (EWW-S & EWW-T).

Abnormal heartbeat and other chronic diseases were reported significantly more frequently by the informal EWW (p = 0.008).

Health problems that restrict work were significantly more common in the informal EWW group (IEWW-S) (p = 0.001). Additionally, significantly more punctured wounds (IEWW-S; p = 0.037) and burns/scalds (IEWW-T; p = 0.015) were reported compared to the control group. The hand was significantly more frequently injured in the informal EWW (p = 0.022) and the intensity of muscle soreness showed significant differences between the groups in the VAS (p = 0.044).

Fischer et al. [2020]

Comparative cross-sectional: exposed e-waste worker (EWW) vs unexposed control group (CG), Ghana, May 2019

Overall n = 178 participants

84 EWW (n = 2 female, n = 82 male)

94 bystanders as CG (n = 27 female, n = 67 male)

Questionnaire incl. Preexisting medical care, demographic- medical- and lifestyle information

EWW and CG showed no significant differences regarding symptoms and diseases such as infections, tuberculosis, malaria, diabetes, digestive problems, cough, high blood pressure and other cardiac symptoms, mental disorders, skin symptoms, shortness of breath, eye injuries and hearing loss.

Red, itchy eyes, back pain (neck and back) and work-related injuries (cuts and burns) were significantly more common in the EWW compared to the control group (p < 0.05).

Seith et al. [2019]

Cross-sectional: exposed e-waste worker (EWW), Thailand, August 2016

Overall n = 130 EWW (n = 59 female, n = 71 male) from 4 villages (n = 25+ n = 39+ n = 22+ n = 45)

Questionnaire incl. Demographic information, work-related activities, self-reported health status and general symptoms

Blood and urine samples

The self-report of the EWW indicated no high prevalence of the surveyed symptoms in the population regarding the frequency of their occurrence.

A significant correlation between an increased risk for the prevalence of any symptoms was found for urinary nickel (p = 0.047).

Armah et al. [2019]

Cross-sectional: resident e-waste worker (EWW) vs residents (R) vs unexposed control group (CG), Ghana, January–March 2017

Overall n = 260 participants (n = 140 adult EWW (66% male); n = 60 adult R (9% male), n = 60 adults as CG (25% male)

Questionnaire for the occurrence of four disease symptoms (eye problems, skin burns, breathing difficulty and coughing) in the last month, demographic, and sociocultural information

Eye problems, skin burns, breathing problems and coughing were more prevalent in the resident and EWW group than in the control group. Residents freported eye problems and coughing; EWW reported skin burns and breathing problems.

The analysis of the symptoms in 3 multivariate models showed that the residential-occupational status of the workers was a significant predictor for the occurrence of eye problems (EWW: p = 0.025, CG p = 0.013), skin burns (EWW: p = 0.003, CG p = 0.001) and breathing difficulties (EWW: p = 0.000, CG p = 0.005).