Factors Related to Occupational Accidents, Health Symptoms and Ergonomics among Durian Famers in a Southern Province of Thailand
Keywords:
Prevalence, Accident, Health symptoms Ergonomics, Durian famersAbstract
This analytical cross-sectional study on ergonomics and health among durian farmers of Southern Thailand, aimed to investigate: 1) the prevalence of accidents, the occurrence of muscle and skeleton pain; 2) factors related to accidents, health symptoms and musculoskeletal pain due to the farming activity. This study was conducted between September and November 2023, among a population of 200 durian farmers, in the period of "dressing flower" of durian fruits, usually between June of August. Research tools were interviewing forms, which content validity between 0.67 and 1.00. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics such as percent, mean and standard deviation. Factors associated with accidents, health symptoms and musculoskeletal pain ere analyzed using multivariable logistic regression. And the results were as following
1. The prevalence of accidents over a period of 1 year was 33.00 percent. The prevalence of health symptoms was 37.50 percent. The prevalence of musculoskeletal pain was 83.00 percent.
2. Factors associated with accidents found in participants who were graduated from a lower high school were 56 percent at lower risk of accidents (AOR = 0.44, 95%CI: 0.20-0.98). Durian farmers drinking alcohol were 2.47 times at higher risks of accident (AOR = 2.47, 95%CI: 1.17-5.22). Sleeping less than 7 hours was a factor for being 12.40 times at higher risks of accident (AOR = 12.40, 95%CI: 4.66-33.04). Overtime at work leads to 1.30 times higher risks of accident (AOR = 1.30, 95%CI: 1.18-1.42).
3. Factors associated with health symptoms were: a) sleeping less than 7 hours (5.33 times higher risk of health symptoms) (AOR = 5.33, 95%CI: 2.31-12.29), b) having an underlying disease (4.35 times higher risk of health symptoms) (AOR = 4.35, 95%CI: 1.76-10.75), c) an increased number of working hours per month (1.21 times higher risk of health symptoms) (AOR = 1.21, 95%CI: 1.12-1.30). As well, factor associated with musculoskeletal pain such as an increased working hours per month were 1.63 times higher risk of musculoskeletal pain (AOR = 1.63, 95%CI: 1.40-1.91).
Therefore, the health professionals should provide management and prevention of impacts on the health among durian farmers, and this, both before and during the period of dressing flower and fruit of durian, typically from June to August.
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