Working Women Suffering from Various Morbidities - An Overview

 

Hina Kausar1*, Mohammed Ubaid-Ur-Rahaman2

1Assistant Professor, Community Medicine, Dr. Ulhas Patil Medical College, Jalgaon Kh. (MS)

2Divisional Medical Officer, Central Railway Hospital, Bhusawal (MS)

 

 

ABSTRACT:

Back ground: Women are equally exposed to the occurrence of health hazards as are men, whether in developed or developing countries. Objective: to analyze the morbidities as perceived by working women Material and methods: Three hundred working women employed in Chalmeda Anand Rao Institute of Medical Sciences, Karimnagar (Andhra Pradesh) were taken as sample.Morbidities were classified as per International classification of diseases (ICD).  

Observations and discussion: Anaemia was commonest morbidity (67%) among working women followed by hypertension (6%), acute respiratory tract infection (4.66%), while prevalence of morbidity like diabetes was 4%. Other morbidities noted were Urinary tract infection 3.33%, Skin infections 3%, Vaginitis 2.33%, asthma 1.66% and cataract 1.33%.

Recommendations: To create awareness among the masses about various signs and symptoms of diseases to promote early diagnosis and treatment.

 

KEYWORDS: Diabetes, vaginitis, asthma, cataract, working women.

 

 

INTRODUCTION:

According to a survey conducted by associated chambers of commerce and industry, 68% of working Indian women in the age group of 21-52 years was found to be afflicted with life style ailments such as diabetes, hypertension, obesity, depression, backache, neck and shoulder problems. (1) Other problems such as attitude of the society members, prejudice and non recognition which the working women encounter with regard to their social status and role in the economic life, adversely affect the utilization of their talents and work capabilities.(2) By taking in to account the above facts and as per recommendations of the World Health Organization (W.H.O.) study group in 1957,that in order to get a comprehensive picture of a disease , more and more such studies have to be carried out,Garg Narenra K(3) and Garg Narenra K.and Sharma A.B.(4) the authors have under taken this study with the objective to analysis the morbidities as perceived by working women.

 

MATERIAL AND METHOD:

The present retrospective study is an institutional based study. This study was conducted in Chalmeda Anand Rao Institute of Medical Sciences, Karimnagar (A.P.) from june 2010 to may 2011 for a total period of one year. The data was collected in pre drawn and pretested proforma. A list of all working women (those who were in paid employment) in Chalmeda Anand Rao Institute of Medical Sciences was obtained from administrative department. There were 318 working women out of which 18 women did not cooperated/responded in the study, hence they were excluded from the study. Thus total sample size was 300.Statistical data was expressed in simple terms of proportions.  Various morbities as per International Classification of Diseases (ICD) were as follows:-

·        Anemia (D50)

·        Hypertension (110)

·        Acute Respiratory Infection (J00-J06)

·        Diabetes Mellitus (E11)

·        Urinary Tract Infection (N39)

·        Fungal Infection of hands/feet (B49)

·        Vaginitis (N73)

·        Asthma (J45)

·        Cataract (H25)

·        Scabies (B86)

 

OBSERVATIONS AND DISCUSSION:

From analysis of the collected data, it was found that out of total 300 study subjects 37(12.33%) subjects had no morbidity. The 263 subjects in the present study had a total of 284 morbidities .on average there were1.08 morbidities per subject. The study subjects had the following morbidities in the descending order of frequency. Anemia – 201(67%) subjects, hypertension – 18(6%) subjects, acute respiratory infection - 15(5%) subjects, diabetes mellitus -12(4%) subjects, fungal infection of hands/feet – 8(2.66%) subjects, urinary tract infection – 10 (3.33%) subjects, vaginitis – 7(2.33%) subjects, asthma – 5(1.66%), cataract and scabies -4(1.33%) subjects each (Table-I).

 

The most common morbidity found in this study was nutritional anemia (67%) which was higher than the prevalence of anemia found in NFHS-III (56%) 25 for non-pregnant women; women often experienced weakness due to this. Prevalence of hypertension 18(6%) and diabetes 12(4%) was low in this study, less than average Indian prevalence. (5)                                                                                                                       

 

TABLE-I:Distribution of study subjects according to morbidities:.

Morbidities (ICD)

Number

Percentage

Anemia (D50)

201

67.00

Hypertension(I10)

18

6.00

Acute Respiratory Infection(J00-J06)

15

5.00

Diabetes mellitus(E11)

12

4.00

Urinary tract infection(N39)

10

3.33

Fungal infection of hands/feet(B49)

08

2.66

Vaginitis(N73)

7

2.33

Asthma(J45)

5

1.66

Cataract(H25)

4

1.33

Scabies(B86)

4

1.33

Average No. of morbidities per subject = 1.08

 

 

 

 

Kotwal N et al (6) repoted high prevalence (95%) of nutritional anemia among working women in Jammu. Switoniak T, Krol A(7) found low prevalence of anemia11.2% among professional working women in Poland. Chandyo et al (8)  from Bhaktapur Nepal found 12% prevalence of anemia among women of reproductive age group. Aquino E et al(9) from Salvador, Brazil reported 36.4% Prevalence of hypertension in nurses. Yang H et al (10) from California observed positive association between hours worked per week and self reported hypertension. Pavlovic IN et al (11) from Niska Banja found 10.7% prevalence of hypertension among women with different work environment. Maleni S et al (12) found 24% prevalence of diabetes among working women in Berhampur. Alves MG et al (13) from Rio de Janeiro found overall prevalence of hypertension was 24% in working female population.Total 10(3.33%) of women suffered from urinary tract infection, this prevalence of UTI is low compared with findings of other studies, Avasarala KA et al (14) from Karimnagar found 18.5% overall prevalence of Lower UTI among female population and among them 12.5% prevalence was found among working women. Holley LE (15) from La Union Philippines found 24.4% prevalence of UTI among nurses of aged between 21-35years and 80% among 36-55years. Singh M, Singh G et al (16) reported 10% subjects had high blood pressure, 22% women had other problems which includes asthma, constipation and diabetes among working women in Varanasi.

 

CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS:

Anemia was the common morbidity with high prevalence; other morbidities like diabetes, hypertension, UTI, asthma and cataract were low.

 

A thorough medical checkup of women workers especially for diabetes mellitus, coronary heart disease, hypertension, and bone density for osteoporosis and pap smear for cervical changes should be done periodically. Apart from this most important to bring awareness in the community, about various aspect of diseases such as cause, symptoms, spread of infection, treatment etc. Authors develop a flow chart, which can be useful for spreding awareness among the masses which will promote early diagnosis and prompt treatment of diseases. As per flow chart diagnostic camps, behavior change communication, active detection of cases and thus enhance the utilization of health facilities will be achieved.

 

REFRENCES:

(1)     Sharma M, Majumadar PK. Occupational life style Diseases: An emerging Issue, Ind J Occup Env med 2009; 13(3):109-112.

(2)     Qureshi R. problems of working women's in Faisalabad, international journal of agriculture and biology 2000; 2 (4):338-339.

(3)     Garg Narendra K.: Evaluation of the impact of emesis and emesis plus purgation Therapy; Research J Pharmacology and Pharmacodynamics:2 (2) March-April;2010:201-202.

(4)     Garg Narendra K and Sharma A.B. : Epidemiological profile of patients attending a tertiary care hospital,Muktsar,Punjab (India); Research J Pharmacology and Pharmacodynamics:3 (6) November-December;2011:311-317

(5)     K park. Park’s Text book of Preventive and Social Medicine, 21Ist edition2010 M/s Banarasidas Bhanot publishers, 1167, prem Nagar, Jabalpur

(6)     Kotwal N, Gupta N, Manhas S. Impact of work and environment on women living in urban slums of Jammu city, Stud Home Comm Sci 2008; 2(2):93-97.

(7)     Switoniak T, Krol A. Iron Deficiency and Anemia in Professional Working Women. Praze ql Epidemiol 1992;46(4):379-87.

(8)     Chandyo RK, Strand TA ,Ulveik RJ, Adhikari RK, Ulak M, Dixit H, Sommerfeet H. Prevalence of iron deficiency and anemia among women of reproductive age in Bhaktapur, Nepal. European journal of clinical Nutrition2006:1-8.

(9)     Aquino E, Magalhaes L, Araujo M, Almeida M, Leto J. Hypertension in a Female Nursing Staff pattern of occurrence, Diagnosis and treatment, Arq Bras Cardiol 2001; 76(3):203-8.

(10)   Pavolic IN. Hypertension in women as the consequences of the working environment impact, working and living Environmental protection 2002; 2(2):189-196.

(11)   Yang H, Peter L, Jauregui SM, Chen ST, Baker D. Work hours and Self-reported hypertension among working people in California. Hypertension 2006; 48:744-750.

(12)   Maleni SD, Sahu A, Mohaptro S, Tripathy RM. Assessment of risk factors for development of Type II Diabetes Mellitus among working women in Berhampur, Orissa. IJCM2009; 34(3):232-36

 (13)  Alves M G, Chor D, faerstein E, Werneck G L, Lopes C S. Job Strain and hypertension in women, Rev Saude Publica2009;43(5):893-6.

(14)   Kameswararao AA, Ahmed SM, Nandagiri S, Tadisetty S. Epidemiological differences of lower urinary Tract Symptoms among Female Subpopulations and group Interventions, Indian journal Of Urology2008; 24(4): 498-503.

(15)   Holley LE, Mangaoang A. Renal Health advocacy for Nurses in La Union: A prototype-International scientific research journal 2011, 3(1):25-29.

(16)   Singh M, Singh G.A Study on Family and Psychosocial Health of Middle aged Working Women of Varanasi City. The Internet Journal Third World Medicine2006; 3(2): 12-19.

 

Received on 07.03.2013

Modified on 10.04.2013

Accepted on 13.04.2013

© A&V Publication all right reserved

Research J. Pharmacology and Pharmacodynamics. 5(2): March–April 2013, 126-128