HEALTH AND THE ENVIRONMENT — A COMPARATIVE STUDY OF AGRICULTURAL AND INDUSTRIAL WORKERS IN NIGERIA

Abstract

Although several attempts have been made in the developed countries to study the effect of various environmental factors on morbidity, it is disappointing that in developing countries where very poor conditions exist, very little information is available on the subject. This study was therefore designed to examine die influence of the living and working environment on the state of health of two groups of Nigerian workers namely farmers and industrial workers. The study was carried out in two villages Badeku and Ewekoro. 200 farmers from Badeku and 150 industrial workers from Ewekoro were selected by appropriate sampling methods. Most of the data were obtained by means of a questionnaire administered by the authors. In addition to a detailed clinical examination of each subject, blood stool and urine specimens were obtained for laboratory investigations. A high incidence of hookworm and ascaris infection, anaemia, leg ulcer, malaria parasitaemia and onchodermatitis was found among the farmers. The industrial workers on the other hand had a higher incidence of chronic bronchitis and hypertension. Some of these findings have been attributed to poor environmental hygiene of the homes and work places, atmospheric pollution and other health hazards associated with living and working in the rural areas