Prediction of Physical Hygiene and Substantive State of Farm Women: Reckoning and Conjecture of Socio-ecological and Bio-physical Variables

Many developing countries, including India are characterized by non-uniformity in level of education, poverty, awareness, socio-economic development, practices and rituals which add to the complexity of getting proper sanitation and hygiene. One of the most neglected aspects of Indian agriculture is that it seldom ignores the health and hygiene issues of both the farmers and farm women although they are the most valued human resources engaged almost 24 hours a day to ensure the food and nutrition security of the nation. This study dealt with health ecosystem and health dynamics of farm women so that they can combat various ecological and occupational problems as they are provider of food. This study was carried out with objectives to generate classified information on the physical hygiene of farm women. A survey was carried out at Kotulpur Block in Bankura district of West Bengal with one hundred farm women as respondents and they were selected randomly. The data were collected through pilot study, structured interview and focused group interview. The statistical tools used for data analysis were correlation analysis, multiple regression and step-down regression analysis, path analysis, cluster analysis and artificial neural network analysis. Twenty independent variables were selected for this study i.e. functional literacy, per capita income, menstrual hygiene, status of drinking water etc. Working hour per day (x6), no of animals reared (x10), size of holding (x11), per capita debt (x14) and status of drinking water (x19) are some of those variables which have made a significant impact on the physical hygiene of farm women. Among those variables, status of drinking water (x19) is the most important factor as it has exerted the highest indirect effect on as many as 5 exogenous variables to characterize the physical hygiene of farm women (y) in path analysis.