Living conditions in boarding houses and health status among female industrial workers in Katunayake free trade zone, Sri Lanka

Abstract

Background: The industrial workers live in boarding houses situated close to the trade zones. The physical environment in boarding houses may affect the health status of industrial workers. The purposes of the study are to assess the living conditions in boarding houses and to analyses some aspects of health status.

Method: Community based, descriptive cross sectional study was carried out in 200 habitable rooms of boarding houses of female industrial workers in Katunayake free trade zone, Sri Lanka using an interviewer administered questionnaire. The data was analyzed using computer software; statistical package for the social sciences (SPSS) and GIS (geographic information system).

Results: Participants were between 16 to 45 years of age and majority having passed GCE O/L examination (66.9%), unmarried (57.5%) and sewing machine operators (66.3%).  Main source of water for drinking and cooking (54.1%) was tube well. All of them shared sanitary facility. For the majority (71.2%) cooking areas were not separated from living room. Respectively, 45.3%, 51.4% and 3.3% perceived their general health as good, quite good and bad.

Conclusion: Main source of water for drinking and cooking was the tube well. Respectively most of them perceived their general health is as good and quite good. There were significant associations between frequency of cooking and perceived general health.