Assessing the work-related health and well-being of yoga and naturopathy professionals: A cross-sectional study from India

Abstract

Background: Health workers face significant hazards in their occupational settings. While many studies document the health risks of conventional healthcare workers, CAM health workers encounter unique challenges, including physical strain from repetitive tasks and psychosocial stressors from intensive patient interactions. Despite the widespread practice of yoga and naturopathy in India and globally, there is a lack of reports on the occupational health and well-being of yoga and naturopathy health workers. Objectives: This study aims to fill this gap by exploring the occupational health issues and well-being of yoga and naturopathy professionals, providing valuable insights to improve their work environments and support systems. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in a yoga and naturopathy-based lifestyle medicine hospital in India. Participants included doctors, interns, therapists, drivers, and administrative, kitchen, and housekeeping staff with at least one year of work experience. Data on general well-being, quality of life, fatigue, and work-related burnout were collected using validated questionnaires. Data analysis involved univariate and multivariate approaches to compute prevalence and identify factors associated with burnout, pain, and occupational symptoms. Results: Among 138 participants, 68.1% were female, and 34.1% were therapists. Most participants were overweight or obese. High burnout levels were reported by 29%, with eye strain (41.3%) and sleep disturbances (26.8%) being prevalent occupational health issues. Females and those with up to six years of experience had higher odds of occupational symptoms and burnout. Conclusions: The majority perceived the workplace as safe, with no reports of sexual harassment. This study highlights the need for targeted interventions to improve the occupational health and well-being of yoga and naturopathy health workers. Future research should include larger, more diverse samples across multiple settings to validate and expand upon these findings.