Health status and factors influencing access to healthcare services by workers in petrol stations in Rayong province, Thailand.

Abstract

Background: Petrol station (PS) workers are categorized as "unskilled labor", which leads to low wages, economic instability, and a lack of adequate access to healthcare services (HCS) despite exposure to dangerous chemicals. A lack of information on the HCS access of PS workers is concerning.

Objective: This study was undertaken to elucidate factors that influenced access to health care for fuel station workers in gas stations in Rayong province, Thailand.

Material and methods: Two-hundred PS workers (100 serving at fuel dispensers and 100 working at other locations) were interviewed to evaluate their health conditions and factors affecting HCS access. The study cohort comprised 137 (68.5%) women and 63 (31.5%) men. The mean age was 30.29±10.97 years and the average monthly salary was 341.16 ± 124.72 USD.

Results: The average distance between a respondent's residence and government hospital was 10.49 ± 8.571 km. Most respondents (63.5%) were in good physical health, and 79.5% reported having "positive mental health". However, 73% reported neurological disorders and 57% reported respiratory symptoms. During the previous 12 months, 44.5% of respondents had HCS access; 80.9% of participants reported that they had accessed HCS to obtain treatment for an illness, and 18% went for a health checkup. Government centers were rated as "satisfactory" by 78.8% of PS workers, and 75.5% received medical coverage under a social-security scheme. Moreover, 38.5% obtained HC information from their colleagues. HCS access was attributed to the cost of receiving HCS as well as the sex, marital status, illness severity of PS workers.

Conclusions: Workers should have access to comprehensive HCS. Policy frameworks and systems for HCS should take account of employees' sex, marital status, and the type and severity of their illnesses.