Publication:

Occupation-related morbidity patterns and their determinants among beedi workers in Murshidabad District, West Bengal

Background Beedi workers are frequently exposed to various health hazards due to ergonomically poor working conditions and lack of safety standards, exacerbating worker risks. The current study aimed to determine major morbidities and their determinants affecting beedi workers of Murshidabad district, thereby laying a way forward to uplift their health and wellbeing.

Methods A community based cross sectional study was conducted among 420 beedi workers from March to August 2021 in Murshidabad district of West Bengal. Multistage sampling was used to randomly select one village and one municipality of the district. A predesigned pretested questionnaire was used to conduct face-to-face interviews. Data were entered using Microsoft Excel and subsequently analysed in SPSS v20.

Results Major morbidities among beedi workers were musculoskeletal followed by respiratory and ophthalmological conditions. Multivariate analysis revealed age, marital status, educational level, duration as a beedi worker (in years) and working posture were significant determinants of musculoskeletal morbidity, whereas age, duration as a beedi worker (in years) and number of beedi rolled per day were found to be significantly associated with respiratory morbidities. Similarly, age, education, duration as a beedi worker (in years), number of beedis rolled per day and place of work were found to be significant predictors of ophthalmological morbidities among beedi workers through multivariate analysis.

Conclusions The occupational environment should be uplifted along with legislation to recognise this occupation as a part of organised sector. Furthermore, stricter authoritative actions are needed to regulate the current workload and improve the health status of beedi workers.