No abstract

In developing countries, great efforts are directed towards the development of cottage and small scale industries as the engine for their economic growth. The cottage industry of India is one such industry which has provided ample opportunity of employment for the rural people especially for low socio economic class. Cottage industry workers constitute a significant proportion of the total population of any industrial area. The health of this population is reflected in the health of the society in the given area. The aim of present study is to identify the major health problems in different type of cottage industry and the factors which contribute to these problems. The study is mainly based on primary sources of data collected from the workers employed in various cottage industries. A total of 169 workers engaged in 52 cottage industries were interviewed for this study. The various industrial processes and workplace environment create conditions that led to varying health problems in different industries as reflected in the physical and mental disorders afflicting this population. Finding shows that 52.17 percent cottage workers reported muscular problem, 26.09 percent respiratory, 10.87 percent skin problem and 10.87 percent stress and sleep.