Assessing Health Seeking Behaviors and Economic Consequences of Morbidity in Indian Construction Workers: A Multicenter Study.

Background: Construction laborers succumb to poor health due to the inherent workplace health hazards and poor socio-economic living conditions. With rising healthcare expenses, the increased risk of poor health may aggravate their economic status, pushing them deeper into poverty. Settings and Design: The current cross-sectional multicenter study comprehensively investigated the determinants of health, health-seeking behavior, and poor economic impact regarding catastrophic health expenditure (CHE) among construction laborers. Methods and Material: We collected details on illnesses among self and family members of the construction laborers that required healthcare visits during the previous year and their approximate expenses. Among the 1110 participants with complete data, 37% reported illness requiring a healthcare visit either for self or a family member. Results: Regression models to ascertain demographic and living condition determinants of perceived illness revealed an increased risk of illness when the kitchen is shared with the living space (OR = 1.87) and use unhygienic smoky cooking fuels (OR = 1.87). More than 25% of those who reported illness incurred CHE. Conclusion: We conclude that the frequency of perceived illness and the economic impact, i.e., CHE is relatively higher among the construction laborers. Our results demonstrate that poor living conditions add to the burden of morbidity in construction workers and families. Providing healthcare coverage for this population and engaging and educating them about affordable healthcare are necessary future steps to prevent the worsening of the economic situation.

Occupational Injuries and Health Status Among Rural Tribal Non-Traditional Fishing Communities in the Coastal Region of Tamil Nadu, India.

OBJECTIVES: This study evaluated the occupational injuries and health hazards associated with fishing as an occupation among non-traditional rural tribal fishing communities in the coastal region of Tamil Nadu, India. METHODS: This cross-sectional study included a total of 170 individuals belonging to a fishing community, comprising both male (n = 82) and female (n = 88) participants. The demographic details including occupational history, lifestyle characteristics, socio-economic status, personal habits, and health status were assessed through the questionnaire survey. RESULTS: The fishing community has a low socioeconomic status and poor literacy, lifestyle, and personal habits. The mean age of the participants was 38.8 yrs (male 34.8; female 39.9 yrs). Only 10% reported usage of personal protective equipment (PPE), and the work duration varied from 8 to 24 hrs in a day. While male subjects reported smoking habits (12%) and alcohol consumption (23%), none of the females reported alcohol consumption and smoking habits. The major occupational injuries that occurred were due to catfish (72%) and oysters (48%). A large number of female subjects reported musculoskeletal pains. The body mass index of about 28% of fishermen was above the normal range. Abnormal blood sugar, blood pressure, and respiratory and neurological symptoms were the other major health complaints. The major environmental hazards reported were salinity, solar radiation, tides, and high wind. CONCLUSION: Injuries from handling fish and oysters were observed to be the major occupational burden. Additonally, a high prevalence of musculoskeletal pain and chronic health illness was commonly observed among the fishers. Adequate training and awareness programs are required for effective management of occupational health hazards and health promotion.

Geospatial assessment of variations in the heavy metals and pesticides concentration in the agricultural environment of Kasaragod District, Kerala, India.

The impact of heavy metals and pesticides in our environment largely varies based on their chemical composition and the geographical conditions where they are present. This study assesses the variation in the concentration of heavy metals and pesticides in Kasaragod District, Kerala, Southern India. For the assessment, soil samples were collected from eight different locations of agricultural land during the three different seasons of 2017 and 2018. All the samples were tested for physicochemical characteristics, levels of heavy metals, and pesticides. The spatial distribution of trace metals and pesticides in the study area was performed by using the software Arc GIS, version 10.6. Significant variation in the physicochemical properties was observed during the different seasons. Similarly, the variation in the concentration of heavy metals in the soil ranged from 0.01 to 1018 [Formula: see text]g/kg. Among various heavy metals detected, aluminum (Al) was the most abundantly detected metal in the region of Malakallu, and cobalt (Co) was the scarcely detected metal in the region of Panathady. The average levels of organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) and organophosphorus pesticides (OPs) in the soil samples were from below detectable level (bdl) to 610 [Formula: see text]g/kg and bdl to 441 [Formula: see text]g/kg respectively. Thus, our study indicates the continuous occurrence and persistent nature of contaminants in the agricultural soil of Kasaragod. Therefore, periodic monitoring of soil contaminants is recommended in Kasaragod to assess its effect on the ecosystem and to develop an effective remediation strategy.

Evaluation of work place pesticide concentration and health complaints among women workers in tea plantation, Southern India.

BACKGROUND: Women contribute fifty percent of the total work force in tea plantation sector. The continuous use of chemical pesticides in plantation may increase the risk of exposure and can cause detrimental health effects. OBJECTIVES: To assess the health status of women worker exposed to pesticides in tea plantation and to evaluate the pesticide levels in work environment. METHODS: A cross sectional study was performed (n = 204) to assess the health complaints among exposed women workers (n = 116) and non-exposed women (n = 88) using a predesigned questionnaire. Work environmental air samples collected using PUF sampler and personal samplers were analyzed for various pesticides. RESULTS: Musculoskeletal disorder, skin color changes, allergies and asthma were the most commonly reported health complaints. Notably, only 16% of the women used personal protective equipment (PPE) while 68% reported to have experienced tea plantation work up to 6 month of their pregnancy period. Chlorpyrifos methyl (8.3%), carbendazim (6.7%), thiamethoxam (4.2%), ethion (4.2%) and thiophanate methyl (2.1%) were detected in work place air samples. SIGNIFICANCE: This study is the first to characterize pesticide levels in work place of women workers in India. Women are continuously exposed to pesticides through their work and environmental exposure. Preventive measures are essential to mitigate the adverse health effects of pesticides among women workers.

Mitochondrial DNA copy number and cytogenetic damage among fuel filling station attendants.

Fuel filling attendants are constantly exposed to the complex mixture of gasoline and all refinery environments are probably carcinogenic for humans. These workers are considered as an unorganized group in India and unaware of the risk. The present study was focused to monitor workplace pollutants (particulate matter size 10 [PM10 µm], total volatile organic compound [VOC], and carbon monoxide [CO]), benzene exposure (phenol), and to evaluate their genotoxicity effect with reference to relative mitochondrial DNA copy number (MtDNAcn), 8-OHdG (8-hydroxy-2'-deoxyguanosine), and micronuclei (MN) frequency (%) among fuel filling attendants. This study recorded 318 ± 134 and 1,050 ± 260 µg/m3 time-weighted average concentration of PM10 and CO, respectively. However, total VOC levels recorded were below the detectable level (BDL) to 290 ± 50 µg/m3 . A total of 53 subjects (26 exposed and 27 control) participated in this study with similar sociodemographic information. It was noticed that fuel filling attendants were not using proper personal protective equipment (PPE) and are younger generation. The significantly (p = <.001) higher level of phenol, a metabolite of benzene, was detected in the exposed group. The significantly elevated level of urinary 8-OHdG (p = .01), MN frequency (p = .001), and relative MtDNAcn (p = .001) was observed in exposed group as compared to the control group. The study exemplify that workers were exposed to the benzene, workplace pollutant, and observed genotoxicity suggest malignancy risk. This study highlights the importance of biomonitoring in occupational settings to avoid malignancies. The possible engineering controls, frequent health check-ups, awareness about the risks, and PPE use can reduce health hazards.

Levels and distribution pattern of organochlorine pesticide residues in eggs of 22 terrestrial birds from Tamil Nadu, India.

Long-term monitoring is essential to assess the patterns and distribution of the residues of organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) in biota. Bird eggs have several advantages than other environmental matrixes, which have been used extensively to portray the accumulation and distribution of OCPs. The present study investigated the organochlorine pesticide (OCP) residues in eggs of 22 species of terrestrial birds collected from Tamil Nadu, India. Eggs found abandoned were collected during nest monitoring between 2001 and 2008 and analyzed for the presence of organochlorine pesticide residues. The results showed that the mean concentrations of total hexachlorohexane (∑HCHs), total dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (∑DDTs), heptachlor epoxide, and dieldrin ranged from non-detectable (nd) to 2800 ng/g, nd to1000 ng/g, nd to 700 ng/g, and nd to 240 ng/g on a wet mass (wm) basis, respectively. The variation in magnitude of contamination among the species and feeding guilds were not significantly different (p > 0.05). Among the OCPs analyzed, the residues of ß-HCH and p,p'-DDE were found to be the abundant in concentration. Similarly, among various bird species studied, the highest concentrations of ∑OCPs (> 5000 ng/g wm) were recorded in the eggs of gray junglefowl, scaly-breasted munia, and red-whiskered bulbul. This may be due to their widespread occurrence of their habitat at proximity to the agricultural fields, where organochlorines were in use until recently. Among the various contaminants analyzed, concentrations of p,p'-DDE and heptachlor epoxide exceeded the threshold levels of toxicity for wild birds in > 5% of the egg samples. Hence, this study indicates the need for continued monitoring and further systematic ecotoxicological investigation of these compounds not only in eggs but also in other environmental media.

Levels of organochlorine pesticide residues in fresh water fishes of three bird sanctuaries in Tamil Nadu, India.

Organochlorine pesticide (OCP) residues were determined in nine species of fresh water fishes caught from three bird sanctuaries in Tamil Nadu, India. A total of 302 fishes were analyzed for various types of OCPS. OCPs, namely hexachlorocyclohexane (HCH), dichloro diphenyl trichloroethane (DDT), heptachlor epoxide, endosulfan, and dieldrin were detected among various species of fishes. Among the various OCPs analyzed, HCH was the most frequently detected pesticides. Among the HCH isomers, ß HCH contributed more than 50% to the Σ HCH. p,p' DDT, the metabolites of DDT, had high percentage of occurrence. Among the cyclodiene insecticide residues, endosulfan was detected in more than 60% of the fishes. Varying levels of ΣOCPs (a sum of Σ HCH, Σ DDT, Σ endosulfan, heptachlor epoxide, and dieldrin) were detected in various fish species, although it was not significant (p > 0.05). However, significant variations in OCPs were observed among location and between seasons (p < 0.05). However, continuous monitoring is recommended to facilitate the early identification of risks not only to the fishes, but also to fish-eating birds breeding in these sanctuaries.

Assessment of 8-oxo-7,8-dihydro-2'-deoxyguanosine as a marker of oxidative DNA damage in gasoline filling station attendants.

OBJECTIVES: The urinary excretion of 8-oxo-7,8-dihydro-2'-deoxyguanosine (8-oxodG) was used as a biomarker of oxidative DNA damage. The urinary 8-oxodG levels in petrol filling station attendants (exposed) at various petrol bunks were estimated as well as in the unexposed (cashier) population. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 100 workers (79 petrol fillers and 21 cashiers) aged from 20 to 41 years participated in the study. An informed consent was taken from each participant. Information on personal habits and health was obtained through a questionnaire. After shifts, urine samples were collected analyzed for 8-oxodG using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). RESULTS: Fifty-three percent of workers were in the 21-30 years age group. The maximum level of 8-oxodG was observed in the age group ≥ 41 years and the minimum in the age group of 31-40 years. The maximum level of 8-oxodG was observed among those workers who had ≥ 21 years of experience. The concentrations of 8-oxodG were significantly higher in petrol fillers than those in cashiers (p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Despite the conflicting results obtained in our study it was shown that 8-oxodG is related to chemical exposure. Further research is needed embracing a bigger number of participants to highlight the correlations between the exposure and the effects.