Prevalent Health Problems among Nepalese Underground Construction Workers

BACKGROUND: Workplace is associated with exposure to various products, which can be associated with adverse health outcomes. It is true with underground construction work. This study calculated the prevalence of common health problems among Nepalese underground construction workers in comparison to heavy construction workers. This type of study is rare in the context of Nepal and other developing countries, and we hope that the findings will help to take precautions for the prevention of these conditions. METHOD: It was a retrospective study based on the clinical record of outpatient cases and general health checkups of all Nepalese workers available at the Project clinic, Upper Tamakoshi Hydroelectric Project, Gongar, Bigu, Dolakha. We studied three hundred and ninety-eight workers. We used multipurpose analysis and conducted the Chi-square test and calculated correlations and odds ratios. RESULTS: Two hundred and sixteen (54.3%) participants worked inside the tunnel, and 182 (43.2%) participants worked outside the tunnel. Respiratory disease, mainly upper respiratory tract infection (URTI) (23.4%), is the most common presentation among construction workers followed by injuries (16.7%). Injuries and hypertension were significantly higher in inside the tunnel workers, and acute gastroenteritis was significantly (p value <0.05) higher in outside the tunnel workers. Increasing age increased the chance of hypertension and cutaneous fungal infection among construction workers. Further studies are required for the analysis of risk factors associated with these health conditions. CONCLUSION: Respiratory problems are the most common health problem in underground construction workers; however, injuries and hypertension were significantly higher in tunnel workers. Acute gastroenteritis was significantly higher among outside the tunnel workers. Workplace safety should be the priority of every construction site, especially focusing to prevent respiratory problems, injuries, and accidents.