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Background: The occurrence of workplace hazards, occupational diseases, and deaths contribute significantly to the increase in the global burden of diseases. The Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) workers experience occupational stressors throughout the process of waste management that affects their well-being and results in high rates of occupational health problems. It is vital to understand the workplace practices and occupational morbidities of the MSW workers to ensure their safety and well-being. In this context, the study aimed to explore the occupational health and safety practices at the place of work among the MSW workers in Karimnagar and Hyderabad in Telangana, India. Methodology: A cross-sectional study was conducted in two cities of Telangana. A total of 394 MSW workers were surveyed. The number of MSW workers in Karimnagar and Hyderabad were 152 and 194, respectively. A pre-tested questionnaire was administered to the MSW workers to study the occupational morbidities and workplace safety practices. Focused group discussions were conducted among the MSW workers in both cities. In-depth interviews of sanitary supervisors in Karimnagar were conducted. Semi-structured questionnaires and interview guides were used with questions on sociodemographic characteristics, health status, work environment, protection strategy, and healthcare utilization. MS Excel and NVivo-12 were used for data analysis. Results: Musculoskeletal problem was the major reported morbidity among the MSW workers (76.6%). Injuries were reported more among the MSW workers in Hyderabad (39.7%) along with a fear of being hit by vehicles while working on the main roads. About 88.7% of the MSW workers had less than secondary education. There was a wage difference between the contract and permanent MSW workers. There was a lack of provision of personal protective equipment and poor working conditions, overall. Lack of basic amenities such as the provision of drinking water and toilets apart from inadequate social security and healthcare facilities was reported. Conclusion: This paper highlights the unsatisfactory working environment and high-occupational morbidities among the MSW workers in Telangana. There was a lack of basic amenities at the workplace making it difficult for the MSW workers. A comprehensive approach which focuses on the health and safety with social security for the MSW workers is required. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Musculoskeletal (MS) pain is responsible for poor quality of life and decreased productivity. Objective information about the burden of musculoskeletal disorders among the general community in India is scanty, and the few reports that exist are based on a small sample size. Materials and Methods: This paper examines the issue of MS pain and its associated risk factors in a cross-sectional study of 2086 subjects from National Capital Region (NCR). Results: Overall prevalence of MS pain was found to be 25.9%. Pain was found to be more frequent among females (31.3%) as compared with males (20.9%). Significant association of pain in joints/limbs/knee/lower legs with obesity (OR = 2.1, P < 0.001) and high body fat (OR = 2.2, P < 0.001) was established. More than 50% of the subjects complained of backache. Conclusions: Our findings confirm that MS pain is a significant burden of disease among the residents of NCR. Women and subjects doing heavy work load, like agriculture and dairy farming, constitute the chief demographic groups. It is high time that a policy is framed to reduce this load of sickness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context: A career as a doctor makes him prone to develop health issues like obesity and obesity-related noncommunicable diseases. Aims: This study aims to find the burden and determinants of obesity among Modern Medicine doctors in Kerala. Settings and Design: We conducted a cross-sectional study among 240 doctors working in South Kerala from 2018 to 2019. Methods and Material: The sample size was calculated using a formula and stratified random sampling was done for the selection of study participants. An interviewer-administered structured questionnaire was used for data collection. Physical activity was measured using International Physical Activity Questionnaire. Statistical Analysis: Data were entered in MS Excel and was analyzed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences version 26.0. The significance of association was tested using the χ² test. Binary logistic regression was done to predict the factors associated with overweight and obesity. Results: Out of 240 study participants, 128 (54%) were females and 112 (46%) were males. Among the 240 doctors, 54% (114) were either overweight or obese. A low level of physical activity was reported among 54.5% of doctors. Male gender odds ratio (OR) = 2.8 (95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.29-6.06), nuclear family OR = 2.7 (95% CI = 1.32-5.42), daily hours of sleep <6 hours OR = 4.92 (95% CI = 2.29-10.5), history of obesity among parents OR = 3.54 (95% CI = 1.04-12.02), reported the presence of private practice OR = 3.34 (95% CI = 1.25-8.96), and holding a graduation degree alone were found to be significantly associated with obesity. Conclusions: The study found that majority of the doctors (55%) were either overweight or obese. Awareness and behavior change communication among doctors on modifiable risk factors like having adequate sleep and reducing the hours spent in private practice is needed to reduce the burden of obesity among doctors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Fisherwomen are informal sector workers involved in post-harvest operations and are mostly engaged in peeling, trading, and processing of fish. High degree of wage disparity and gender inequalities results in different socioeconomic status of fisherwomen and fishermen. This study aimed to identify gender issues and their effect on the health status of fisherwomen. Materials and Methods: The present cross-sectional included 171 fishermen and fisherwomen. Interview technique was used to collect information using a predesigned proforma. Data was analyzed using SPSS Version 15.0. Results: Fifty-five percent of the participants complained of work-related health problems. A total of 63.9% of women had occupational health problems compared to 48.5% of the men (P < 0.05). Merely 1.2% of participants used any protective equipment. None of the workers reported receiving any kind of benefits at their workplace. A total of 53.8% were paid on piece-rate basis. Conclusion: This study identified many occupational and gender issues in the informal sector. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]