A study of occupational and non-occupational health problems among factory workers in a Kenyan industrial town.
Abstract
This was a study of occupational injuries and other
health problems among factory workers in the Thika Municipality of Kenya.
'l'hedata was collected between the months of
December 1988 and April 1989, during which time, a total of 418 patients
were interviewed in four randomly selected clinics belonging to
four factories in the study area. These patients were a sample of those
who attended the factory clinics for various illnesses and injuries.
From the study, it was shown that among those who
attended the clinics, most were males ( 86.6 % ).This was in line
with the sex distribution of the workers. Similarly, among those
patients who attended the clinics, the majority were from the Production
Departments, a finding which was due to the fact that the Production
Departments employed more workers than the Non-production departments.
It was also demonstrated in the study that.
among the attendees at the clinics,respiratory diseases were the majority
(34.7 % ).Injuries at the work-place were responsible for a total of
43 attendances (10.3 % ).Injuries caused less sickness absence than
illnesses. Male patients were shown to have more sickness absence than
female patients.
Furthermore, among those patients who were interviewed,
it was found that the frequency of accidents and that of sickness absence
decreased not only with age, but also with the length of employment.
The probable reasons for these findings are discussed
an•d recommendations are made to the factories concerned and those who
would like to carry out research in this area.
Citation
Degree of Master of Medicine in Public HealthPublisher
School of Medicine
Description
A dissertation submitted in part fulfilment for the Degree of
Master of Public Health (MPH) Of the University Of Nairobi