Profile of Health Status in Relation to Working Pattern and Habits among Street Vendors in Bangalore City

Abstract

Introduction: Street vendors are important informal self-employment group in the community and their health, nutritional and security status are affected because of weather conditions, pollution in urban area, mental stress and working hours. There is a lack of studies on health profile in street vendors in big cities. This study was conducted with as objective to know the socio demographic profile, health status in relation to their working pattern and habits among the street vendors. Material and Methods: This is a cross sectional and descriptive study. The data was collected by direct interviewing the subjects in their own language at their workplace in Bangalore city using pre tested semi open ended questionnaire. Sample size was determined based on the pilot study. The data included socio demographic, type of business, earning, working years, preexisting health status, body weight and height, habits etc. Subjects who were doing service or selling on mobile carts but not at fixed point and street vendors serving ready to eat foods were excluded. Body Mass Index was estimated as anthropometric nutritional status assessment. Data was analysed in SPSS software version. Results: The study subjects were 275 in the age group of 20 to 70 years and males accounted for 62.5 percentage. The proportion of subjects in the age of 41 years and above was 52.3%. Majority did not have formal schooling and common business was fruits and vegetables selling. Their working hours varying from 4 to 10, and doing business since 2 to 30 years with median of 20 years. The habit of smoking, tobacco chewing and alcohol was present in 30.2%, 14.5% and 14.2% the total. Overweight and obesity accounted for 78.9 % among the total where 19.8% and 25.2% were obese in males and females. The overall prevalence of Hypertension, Diabetes Mellitus and other conditions were 30.5%, 23.6% and 7.2% irrespective of their age, sex, type of business, working hours and habits. The prevalence ........