A cross sectional study on health seeking behavior of migrant workers: Bangalore city

Authors

  • Shwetha . Department of Community Medicine, Dr B R Ambedkar Medical College, Bengaluru, Karnataka
  • K. N. Prasad Department of Community Medicine, Sambhram Institute of Medical Sciences, Kolar, Karnataka

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.18203/2394-6040.ijcmph20181251

Keywords:

Health seeking behaviour, Migrants

Abstract

Background: Global migrant population is 214 million people, which accounts for approximately 3% of world population.As per 2001 census 307.2 million people, which is 30% population in India were migrants as reported by place of birth, of which 42.1 million were interstate migrants in India. Migrant populations as being a non-native population, are vulnerable and are exposed to many health problems. Most of the health problems of migrants are ascribed to their migration to urban areas, decreased awareness about local health facility, inability to cope with psychological stress, unhealthy sexual practices, and frequent travelling. The objective of the study was to assess the health seeking behavior of the migrant worker in Bengaluru.

Methods: This is a cross sectional, exploratory and community based study. The study was conducted in the field practice area of department of Community Medicine of Dr. B. R. Ambedkar Medical College and Hospital, Bengaluru. Total study subjects were 295 were selected by convenient sampling method. The study was conducted between May 2017 to June 2017. Data regarding health seeking behaviour was collected using semi structured questionnaire.

Results: Migrants were from different states of our country. 25.7% were from other districts of Karnataka, 58.3% of them belonged to high risk occupation and 41.7% to low risk. Around 85% of the migrants discussed their health problem, 59% of them preferred home remedy as a first priority for their illness & 41% preferred private hospitals for major illness. Around 52.9% of study subjects waited for more than 3days before seeking health care.

Conclusions: The health seeking behaviour was poor and delay in seeking healthcare during their illness.

Author Biography

Shwetha ., Department of Community Medicine, Dr B R Ambedkar Medical College, Bengaluru, Karnataka

Community Medicine and Assistant Professor

References

International Organization for Migration. World Migration Report 2011: Communicating Effectively about Migration. Geneva: IOM; 2011. Available at https://publications.iom.int/system/files/pdf/wmr2011_english.pdf. Accessed on 1 October 2017

Census of India 2001. Data Highlights, Migration Tables DI, D1 (Appendix), D2 and D3 Tables. Registrar General and Census Commissioner, India. Available at censusindia.gov.in/Tables.../D.../Tables _on_Migration_Census_of_India_2001.aspx. Accessed on 1 November 2017.

Ministry of Statistics & Program Implementation. Government of India, Migration in India, 2007-2008. Available at: http://www.mospi.nic.in/ Mospi_New/ upload/533_final.pdf. Accessed on 1 October 2017.

Nitika, Ayush L, Nongkynrih B, Gupta SK. Migrants to Urban India: Need for Public Health Action. Indian J Community Med. 2014;39(2):73-5.

Babu BV, Swain BK, Mishra S, Kar SK. Primary healthcare services among a migrant indigenous population living in an eastern Indian city. J Immigr Minor Health. 2010;12:53-9.

Mitra A, Murayama M. Rural to Urban Migration: A District Level Analysis for India. International J Migration, Health Social Care. 2009;5:35-52.

Kulkarni RR, Shivaswamy MS, Mallapur MD. Health-seeking behavior of rural agricultural workers: A community-based cross-sectional study. Int J Med Public Health. 2013;3(1):33-7.

European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control. Technical Report. Migrant health: Background note to the ‘ECDC Report on migration and infectious diseases in the EU’. Stockholm: ECDC; 2009.

Surabhi KS, Ajith Kumar N. Working Paper No.16, Labour Migration to Kerala: A Study of Tamil Migrant Labourers in Kochi. Kochi: Centre for Socio-economic & Environmental Studies; 2007. Available at: http://csesindia.org/admin/modules/ cms/docs/publication/16.pdf. Accessed on 1 November 2017.

Ma GX. Between two worlds: The Use of Traditional and Western Health Services by Chinese Immigrants. J Community Health 1999;24:421-37.

Saikia D. Economic conditions of the In-Migrant workers in Kerala. A Case study in the Thiruvananthapuram district. [Munich Personal RePEc Archive (MPRA) Paper, 2011]. Available at: http://mpra.ub.uni-muenchen.de/28579/. Accessed on 20 December 2017.

Muela SH, Ribera JM, Nyamongo I. Health-seeking behaviour and the health system response. DCPP Working paper No.14, 2003. Available at: http://www.dcp2.org/file/29/wp14.pdf, Accessed on 1 September 2017.

Shaikh BT, Hatcher J. Health seeking behaviour and health service utilization in Pakistan: challenging the policy makers. J Public Health. 2005;27:49-54.

MacKian S. HSD/WP /05/03, A review of health seeking behaviour: problems and prospects.. Health Systems Development Programme. Available at: http://www.dfid.gov.uk/R4D/PDF/Outputs/HealthSysDev_KP/0503_health_seeking_behaviour.pdf. Accessed on 15 April 2017.

Ajith Kumar N. Working Paper No.26, Vulnerability of Migrants and Responsiveness of the state: The case of unskilled migrant workers in Kerala, India. Kochi: Centre for Socio-economic & Environmental Studies; 2011. Available at: http://csesindia.org/admin/modules/cms/docs/publication/29.pdf. Accessed on 12 April 2012.

Sreejini J. Factors associated with Health seeking behaviour and Self-reported morbidity pattern among the Interstate migrant labourers in Thiruvananthapuram district. A dissertation submitted to Achutha Menon Centre for Health Science Studies Sree Chitra Tirunal Institute for Medical Sciences and Technology Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala India October, 2012: 30-42.

Downloads

Published

2018-03-23

How to Cite

., S., & Prasad, K. N. (2018). A cross sectional study on health seeking behavior of migrant workers: Bangalore city. International Journal Of Community Medicine And Public Health, 5(4), 1653–1657. https://doi.org/10.18203/2394-6040.ijcmph20181251

Issue

Section

Original Research Articles