IJCRR - 6(10), May, 2014
Pages: 108-111
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SELF REPORTED MORBIDITY PATTERN AMONG THE COMPUTER AIDED EMBROIDERY MACHINE WORKERS
Author: Sartaj Ahmad, Gurmeet Kaur, Amir Maroof Khan, Bhawana Pant, Abhimanyu Kumar
Category: Healthcare
Abstract:Introduction: The small scale unorganized industrial workers are a neglected lot and hardly get the benefit from occupational health-and-safety related laws and other provisions. Computer aided embroidery machine workers is one such category and the morbidity profile associated with this group has hardly been documented. Objective: To assess the self reported morbidity profile and tobacco use among the computer aided embroidery machine workers. Material and Methods: It is a field based cross sectional study conducted by interviewing 224 embroidery workers of small scale industries of an urban slum in Meerut from November 2012-to August 2013. Results: Most (74.99%) of the subjects were less than 35 years of age. All were married males and 78.13% were either illiterate or educated less than primary school level. Majority (87.05%) were current users of some sort of tobacco. The most common self reported health problem was musculoskeletal (37.94%) and respiratory illnesses (33.04%). Conclusion: These workers belonging to unorganized sector should be imparted health education regarding the importance of physical activity and also tobacco cessation. More studies need to be conducted to highlight this issue in the national context.
Keywords: Socio-economic status, Smoking behaviors, Morbidity profile.
Full Text:
INTRODUCTION
Embroidery work is very much a part of our socioeconomic fabric for many years. In developing countries, great efforts are directed towards the advancement of small-scale industries as these are considered the engine for their economic growth. Computerized embroidery machines are specialized machines that can make embroidery from computerized designs. According to WHO, over 1000 million people worldwide are employed in small-scale industries. [1] The computer aided embroidery workers industry of India is one such industry. It is an unorganized sector, mostly run by private establishments. It provides employment, mainly to those from the lower socioeconomic classes. Being in the unorganized sector, the employees of this industry are marginalized from main stream with respect to the occupational health-and-safety provisions and as a result workers may suffer from various health problems and risk factors. This ill health may becompounded by various socio-economic factors such as poverty, addictions, poor diet, lack of education, poor working condition, and excess working hours etc. [2] Objectives: To assess the self reported morbidity status and tobacco use among the computer aided embroidery workers
MATERIALS AND METHODS
The present cross-sectional study was conducted among the computerized embroidery machine workers in Meerut District (UP) from November 2012-to August 2013. Consecutive sampling was used to select the workers (n=224) in the study. Verbal informed consent was taken from each respondent after explaining the purpose of the study. Face to face interview technique was used to collect information on a pre-designed Performa regarding socio-demographic characteristic, self reported current morbidity and current tobacco use status. Current morbidity referred to the health problems faced by the respondents within the last three months from the day of the survey. Current users of tobacco, that is those who used tobacco in the last six months from the day of interview were considered for the study. Local language i.e. Hindi was used to interact with the subjects. Data was complied and analyzed using Microsoft Excel and the results were expressed as simple proportions and percentages.
RESULTS
A total of 224 computer-aided embroidery machine (CAEM) workers were studied. All (100%) were males belonging to the Muslim religion. Most (68.03%) were less than 30 years of age, followed by 25.89% between 30 to 40 years and only 16.08% more than 40 years of age. Majority (62.50%) were educated up to primary school, whereas about one-fifths (21.87%) were educated up to middle school and 15.63% were illiterate. With respect to socioeconomic status, based on the modified Kuppuswamy scale (for 2012), majority(40.18%) belonged to lower class, 59.82% to lower middle class and none belonged to upper middle and upper class. The most common self reported morbidity was related to musculoskeletal system (37.94%), closely followed by respiratory illnesses (33.04%) and then visual disturbances (12.05%), skin problems (6.69%) and gastrointestinal disorders (5.35%). A large majority (87.05%) were current users of tobacco in the form of either smoking or chewing. Out of the tobacco users, it was found that most (43.59%) were only smokers, 18.46% were only tobacco chewers, while around two-fifths (37.95%) were using both forms of tobacco i.e. chewing and smoking.
DISCUSSION
In this study, most of the workers in this sector were young adults and married similar to that reported by other studies [3], [4] The overall prevalence of tobacco use was very high similar to that reported by Zaki A et al. [5] Tobacco use may be influenced by a variety of factors like lower socioeconomic status and lower educational levels. Musculoskeletal disorders were the commonest health problems and similar results were reported by studies from India and abroad. [6], [7], [8]. Respiratory illness has also been reported to be a common health problem among such subjects similar to those found by other studies. [9] Long sitting hours and an incorrect posture may be responsible for the musculoskeletal problems associated with these workers. Also tobacco use and smoking may have lead to the respiratory illnesses so prevalent in the study population.
CONCLUSION
A large proportion of these workers were found to be suffering from musculoskeletal disorders and respiratory illnesses and also current users of tobacco. Health education regarding the hazards of tobacco use and also physical inactivity isrecommended for this group of workers. Also more studies need to be done to highlight the health issues of this unorganized sector which is usually neglected in the studies on occupational healt
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
The authors are thankful to Mr Praveen Kumar ( Data Entry operator) , Mr Aleem Ansari, Mr Yaad Mohd, Mr Pawan Saini , Mr Mashrul Ahamd , Mr Anas and all embroidery workers for the help they rendered for carrying out this study.
Conflict of Interest: None Source of funding:
Nil Ethical Clearance: Permission taken
Permission taken
References:
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