Health Hazards and Their Association with Quality of Life Among Sanitation Workers of a Government Tertiary Care Centre in Jhansi District

Abstract

Background: Sanitation workers are indispensable to hospital hygiene yet are routinely exposed to biological, chemical, physical, ergonomic and psychosocial hazards. Evidence on this workforce in government tertiary settings is scarce.

Aims/Objectives: To assess occupational health hazards and quality of life, and to identify its predictors, among sanitation workers in a government tertiary care teaching hospital.

Methodology: A hospital-based cross-sectional study was conducted among 600 sanitation workers over one year using a pretested semi-structured questionnaire. Quality of life was measured with the WHOQOL-BREF, and the Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI) among workers with chronic skin disease. Data were analysed using chi-square test, t-test and multiple linear regression (p less than 0.05 significant).

Results: Most workers were female (57.0%) and contractual (92.0%). Consistent personal protective equipment use was reported by only 52.8%; hepatitis-B and tetanus coverage were 59.2% and 55.8%. Chronic occupational hazards were present in 27.8%, predominantly musculoskeletal, respiratory, dermatological and psychological. Workers with chronic hazards had significantly lower physical (p=0.019) and environmental (p=0.003) domain scores. Type of working place, chronic hazards and age predicted overall quality of life.

Conclusions: About one in four sanitation workers carried chronic occupational morbidity, which was associated with lower quality of life, indicating a need to strengthen protective equipment supply, vaccination, health screening and social protection.