Self-Reported Morbidities among Tribal Main Workers Residing Adjacent the Turamdih Uranium Mine and Mill in Jharkhand, India.

Ashwani Kumar , Y.G. Consultants & Services Pvt. Ltd., New Delhi, India
Kailash Chandra Das, International Institute for Population Sciences (IIPS)

The study was conducted among 411 main workers of tribal communities, aged 15-59 years, residing surrounding hazardous uranium tailing pond of Turamdih Uranium mine in Jharkhand, India. The survey was conducted between January and June 2016. The objective of the study was to explore the differential morbidities among mineworkers and non-mineworkers and the association of the morbidities with various socio-demographic factors. Chi-square test and binary logistic regression were used for data analysis. The results indicate that the prevalence of digestive problems, skin diseases, cancerous diseases, and urinary dysfunction was significantly higher among the Uranium mine-workers than the non-mine-workers. The main workers living within a range of 2 km from the tailing pond being more likely to suffer digestive problems (OR=1.57; 95% CI, 0.94–2.60) and respiratory illnesses (OR=1.89; 95% CI, 1.06–3.37) than those living further away. The findings have important program and policy implications related to safety measures, nuclear regulation acts, and resettlement of tribal victims.

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 Presented in Session P2. Poster Session Ageing, Health and Mortality