HEALTH CARE OF BRICK KILN WORKERS IN SHOLAVARAM BLOCK OF TAMILNADU - SEEING BEYOND THE SMOG
Journal Title: National Journal of Research in Community Medicine - Year 2018, Vol 7, Issue 0
Abstract
Context: Brick kiln workers’ life style places them at high risk but not much is known about their health care needs as they work in secluded kilns away from the residential regions. Objective: To study the factors relating to health care among the Brick kiln workers. Settings and Design: Thirty brick kilns situated along the Kotralaiyar River spanning the Sholavaram block of Tamilnadu. Methods and Material: Multiple qualitative methods like Structured Observation, Key Person Interview and Focus Group Discussions were used. Statistical analysis used: Simple summarising indices like mean, median and percentages were used. Results: Structured observation showed their poor accessibility, insufficient sanitation and dusty environment. Focus group discussion among health workers of the region exposed their misinterpretation of not including the migrant workers as their beneficiaries. FGD among brick kiln workers showed their different work practices, their ignorance of available free health services and their lack of ESI services. Key person interview exposed the startling high proportion (50%) of ‘unqualified non allopathic’ individuals providing health care to these workers and their treatment practices which needed a radical change (only one person had given the full prescription and given clear instruction for review; one third only would ask for sputum smear for investigating cough and 42% would wait for non-response to treatment for initiating investigations for cough). Conclusions: Brick kiln workers form a high risk occupational group and require special attention in health care coverage.
Authors and Affiliations
Mary Ramola, Sathish Kumar K
Keywords
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- EP ID EP529077
- DOI 10.26727/NJRCM.2018.7.3ii.59
- Views 119
- Downloads 2
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