International Journal of Preventive Medicine
Volume 8, 2017

Health status and working condition of migrant workers: Major public health problems (Article) (Open Access)

Bener A.*
  • a Department of Biostatistics and Medical Informatics, Cerrahpaşa Faculty of Medicine, Istanbul University, Istanbul, Turkey, Department of Evidence for Population Health Unit, School of Epidemiology and Health Sciences, University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom, Department of Endocrinology, Regenerative and Restorative Medicine Research Center, International School of Medicine, Istanbul Medipol University, İstanbul, Turkey

Abstract

Background: Very little research and survey have been performed on the occupational health, hazards, and working condition of urban and rural of workers in Qatar. The aim of the current study is to identify the health status, lifestyle condition, working‑related problems, and accidents experienced by Indian subcontinental migrants (ISCM) in Qatar and their access to health‑care facilities. Methods: This is a cross‑sectional study based on a representative sample of 1186 workers and study covering sociodemographic characteristics, medical conditions, and health‑seeking behaviors and personal experience. Results: There were statistically significant differences between semi‑urban and urban migrant workers in terms of educational, occupation, income, working hours, and accommodation type (P < 0.001). Furthermore, there were statistically significant differences between migrant workers in terms of body mass index, delay in receiving salary, the right to medical insurance and sick day entitlement, cigarettes and shisha smoking, amenities, having on‑site safety measure, and sleeping hours (P < 0.01). Moreover, there were statistically significant differences between semi‑urban and urban migrant workers in terms of pain, cardiopulmonary, gastrointestinal, and pseudoneurologic and medical symptoms (P < 0.01). Multiple logistic regression was used for predictors’ health problems in migrant workers such as the absence of drinking water, tap water availability, safety facility tools, occupational status, shisha smoking, toilet facility, working hours, and accommodation type were considered the strong predictors. Conclusions: The current study revealed that there is a lack of insufficient information for the migrants about their lifestyle, medical conditions, health risks, injury, and rights privilege in relation to legal working condition and health services. © 2017 International Journal of Preventive Medicine.

Author Keywords

Health status Access health care Migrant workers Lifestyle Safety

Index Keywords

personal experience urban population lifestyle demography Indian health insurance human work environment Health Behavior middle aged neurologic disease pain health status salary Young Adult migrant worker cardiovascular symptom sanitation occupational accident smoking cross-sectional study income male occupation female occupational safety Article gastrointestinal symptom working time tap water sleep time adult job accommodation health care access public health problem body mass health hazard Drinking Water water supply

Link
https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-85029389911&doi=10.4103%2fijpvm.IJPVM_396_16&partnerID=40&md5=3525938d1cd5fdbce878867a7aa8fd51

DOI: 10.4103/ijpvm.IJPVM_396_16
ISSN: 20087802
Cited by: 9
Original Language: English