Dataset Information

Heat stress and inadequate sanitary facilities at workplaces - an occupational health concern for women?

ABSTRACT:

Background

Health concerns unique to women are growing with the large number of women venturing into different trades that expose them to hot working environments and inadequate sanitation facilities, common in many Indian workplaces.

Objective

The study was carried out to investigate the health implications of exposures to hot work environments and inadequate sanitation facilities at their workplaces for women workers.

Design

A cross-sectional study was conducted with 312 women workers in three occupational sectors in 2014-2015. Quantitative data on heat exposures and physiological heat strain indicators such as core body temperature (CBT), sweat rate (SwR), and urine specific gravity (USG) were collected. A structured questionnaire captured workers perceptions about health impacts of heat stress and inadequate sanitary facilities at the workplace.

Results

Workplace heat exposures exceeded the threshold limit value for safe manual work for 71% women (Avg. wet bulb globe temperature=30°C±2.3°C) during the study period. Eighty-seven percent of the 200 women who had inadequate/no toilets at their workplaces reported experiencing genitourinary problems periodically. Above normal CBT, SwR, and USG in about 10% women workers indicated heat strain and moderate dehydration that corroborated well with their perceptions. Observed significant associations between high-heat exposures and SwR (t=-2.3879, p=0.0192), inadequate toilet facilities and self-reported adverse heat-related health symptoms (? (2)=4.03, p=0.0444), and prevalence of genitourinary issues (? (2)=42.92, p=0.0005×10(-7)) reemphasize that heat is a risk and lack of sanitation facilities is a major health concern for women workers.

Conclusions

The preliminary evidence suggests that health of women workers is at risk due to occupational heat exposures and inadequate sanitation facilities at many Indian workplaces. Intervention through strong labor policies with gender sensitivity is the need of the hour to empower women, avert further health risks, and also enhance productivity for the few million women workers who contribute largely to the country's economy.

SUBMITTER: Venugopal V

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5025522 | biostudies-literature | 2016

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Publications

Heat stress and inadequate sanitary facilities at workplaces - an occupational health concern for women?

Venugopal Vidhya V Rekha Shanmugam S Manikandan Krishnamoorthy K Latha Perumal Kamalakkannan PK Vennila Viswanathan V Ganesan Nalini N Kumaravel Perumal P Chinnadurai Stephen Jeremiah SJ

Global health action 20160914

<h4>Background</h4>Health concerns unique to women are growing with the large number of women venturing into different trades that expose them to hot working environments and inadequate sanitation facilities, common in many Indian workplaces.<h4>Objective</h4>The study was carried out to investigate the health implications of exposures to hot work environments and inadequate sanitation facilities at their workplaces for women workers.<h4>Design</h4>A cross-sectional study was conducted with 312 ...[more]

PMID: 27633034

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Project description:BackgroundRecent evidence suggests that mistreatment of women during childbirth is a global challenge facing health care systems. This study seeks to explore the prevalence of mistreatment of women in public health facilities of Ethiopia, and identify associated factors.MethodsA two-stage cross sectional sampling design was used to select institutions and women. The study was conducted in hospitals and health centers across four Ethiopian regions. Quantitative data were collected from postpartum women. Mistreatment was measured using four domains: (1) physical abuse, (2) verbal abuse, (3) failure to meet professional standards of care, and (4) poor rapport between women and providers. Percentages of mistreatment and odds ratios for the association between its presence and institutional and socio demographic characteristics of women were calculated using bivariate and multivariable logistic regression modeling.ResultsA total of 379 women were interviewed, of whom 281 (74%) reported any mistreatment. Physical and verbal abuse were reported by 7 (2%) and 31 (8%) women interviewed respectively. Failure to meet professional standards of care and poor rapport between women and providers were reported by 111 (29%) and 274 (72%) women interviewed respectively. Multivariable logistic regression analysis revealed that the odds of reporting mistreatment were higher among women with four or more previous births (aOR?=?3.36 95%CI 1.22,9.23, p?=?0.019) compared to women with no previous childbirth, Muslim women (aOR?=?3.30 95%CI 1.4,7.77, p?=?0.006) and women interviewed in facilities with less than 17 births per MNH staff in a month (aOR?=?3.63 95%CI 1.9,6.93, p?<?0.001). However, the odds of reporting mistreatment were lower among women aged 35 and older (aOR?=?0.22 95%CI 0.06, 0.73, p?=?0.014) and among women interviewed between 8 and 42?days after childbirth (aOR?=?0.37 95%CI 0.15, 0.9, p?=?0.028).ConclusionMistreatment during childbirth in Ethiopia is commonly reported. Health workers need to consider provision of individualized care for women and monitor their experiences in order to adjust quality of their services.

Dataset Information

Heat stress and inadequate sanitary facilities at workplaces - an occupational health concern for women?

Background

Objective

Design

Results

Conclusions

Publications

Heat stress and inadequate sanitary facilities at workplaces - an occupational health concern for women?

Similar Datasets

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