Urinary Symptoms and Infections Among Female Garment Factory Workers in Bangladesh
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
4-23-2020
Publication Title
Work
Volume
65
Issue
4
First page number:
847
Last page number:
856
Abstract
BACKGROUND:The prevalence of urinary symptoms and infections among female garment factory workers in Bangladesh – a large developing country – is largely unknown. Garment sector is this country’s main economic growth engine. OBJECTIVES:This paper focuses on garment industry workers and compares the findings with another group of low socioeconomic status working women. METHODS:Urinary tract symptoms (UTS) were determined by self-reported survey including International Consultation on Incontinence Modular Questionnaire-Female Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms (ICIQ-FLUTS) and urinary tract infection (UTI) was determined among a subset population by urine dipstick tests. RESULTS:Data were collected from 310 garment workers and 297 comparison workers. About one third of garment workers (31.94%) and comparison workers (29.97%) could take up to 3 toilet breaks in a day. Garment workers reported to be more sexually active and menstruation was more common among them compared to comparison workers. They reported a significantly higher prevalence of malodorous urine and vaginal discharge. Garment workers were found to have a significantly higher ICIQ-FLUTS score of voiding than comparison workers (0.44 vs. 0.27; p-value = 0.0167).Among the study respondents, 148 garment workers and 134 other workers provided urine samples and 21 (7.45%) were found to have UTI. After considering all the risk factors in multivariate model, garment work had a significant impact on the probability of having UTI with Odds Ratio of 5.46 (p-value = 0.0374; 95% CI = 1.10, 26.97) compared to other workers. CONCLUSIONS:This study highlights the prevalence and burden of urinary symptoms and infections among female worker populations in Bangladesh.
Keywords
Developing countries; Low socioeconomic status; Working women; Garment workers of Bangladesh
Disciplines
Environmental Health | Occupational Health and Industrial Hygiene
Language
English
Repository Citation
Moran, J.,
Fitch, T. J.,
Villanueva, G.,
Quadir, M. M.,
Chien, L.,
Alamgir, H.
(2020).
Urinary Symptoms and Infections Among Female Garment Factory Workers in Bangladesh.
Work, 65(4),
847-856.
http://dx.doi.org/10.3233/WOR-203136
