Physical and Psychological Health Problems to Assess the Local and Migrant Workers

Health is multidimensional. According to WHO (1948), “Health is a state of complete physical, mental, social wellbeing and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.” The harmonious balance of all these aspects of an individual constitutes a positive state of health. The factors which influence health lie both within the individual and externally in society where he or she lives.

To assess and compare physical and psychological health problems among local and migrant workers in selected factory of Ludhiana city, Punjab.

A descriptive (comparative) design was used to assess and compare physical and psychological health problems of 200 local and migrant factory workers. Purposive sampling technique was used to select the sample. Data was collected with structured checklist to assess the physical health problems and Standardized scales (Zung self-rating anxiety scale and Beck's depression inventory) were used to assess psychological health problems among local and migrant factory workers by using interview method. Analysis was done by using descriptive and inferential statistics.

The study results revealed that both local and migrant factory workers had multiple physical health problems. Maximum (80) local factory workers had suffered from problems of central nervous system, majority (76) of local factory workers had problems of musculoskeletal system and more than half (67) of subjects among local factory workers had problems of respiratory system Whereas among migrant factory workers, maximum (81) subjects have suffered with problems of musculoskeletal system, more than half (67) of subjects have suffered with problems of central nervous system, followed by 63 subjects have complained about problems of respiratory system. Among local factory workers there is a significant association between problems of central nervous system and section of factory at (p≤0.05). There is also a significant association of problems of musculoskeletal system with age, gender, dietary pattern at (p≤0.05). Among migrant factory workers, there is significant association of problems of respiratory system with socioeconomic status and section of factory at (p≤0.05). On the other hand as per psychological health problems among local factory workers, there is a significant association of anxiety with dietary pattern, living status and socioeconomic status and found to be significant at (p≤0.05). Among migrant factory workers, anxiety had a significant association with gender, marital status at (p≤0.05) whereas depression had significant association with living status at (p≤0.05).

The results of the Study concluded that physical and psychological health problems were more among migrant factory workers as compared to local factory workers.