Page 156 - 5th APA Conference Program Book Final

method research approach followed in this study. The quantitative data were collected from the urban household.
At the same time, qualitative data was collected through In-Depth Interviews and Focus Group Discussions. We
followed the narrative analysis for analyzing qualitative data and conducted descriptive statistics and chi-square test
to analyze quantitative data. Respondent reported that climatic variables, such as temperature and rainfall patterns,
changed over time. Around seventy percent of people reported temperature and rainfall pattern is changed. They
still experience winter was warmer than the previous year. Over eighty percent of urban residents faced negative
health consequences due to climate change. Sixty-seven percent and more than fifty percent of respondents have
perceived the vector and waterborne diseases. Self-reported major health problems are dengue, malaria, diarrhea,
eye irritation, asthma, and mental illness. Focus Group Discussion and In-Depth Interviews respondents have also
reported the same health problems. This study will encourage the people and local government to mitigate climate
change and their health problems.

823 Challenges, health risks and coping mechanisms of urban informal workers:
Lessons from climate change and heat affected Central India

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1,2
Siddharth Agarwal , Shabnam Verma , Kanupriya Kothiwal , Neeraj Verma , Neha Mandloi
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1 Urban Health Resource Centre, Delhi, India. Dept. of International Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of
Public Health, Baltimore, USA. Urban Health Resource Centre, Indore, India
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Categories
9. Population and Environment, Climate Change and Sustainable Development

Abstract

Urban informal workers are affected by rising temperatures contributed by climate change. Indore, in Central India
recorded 38 to 44 degrees Celsius during summer, 2019.

FGDs were conducted with 80 respondents including factory workers, construction site workers and street vendors
at workplaces and slums in Indore.

Results: Workplace machines generate heat. Fan use is restricted in many workplaces. Breaks are few owing to
manager’s pressure. Forced to work to make ends meet aggravates heat-stress. The increased heat-stress and risks
leading to exhaustion, muscular pain, dehydration and reduced productivity. Protective gears like masks aggravate
heat-stress. Working outdoors is impractical for many jobs.

Coping mechanisms reported include using wet cloth to cover head-neck, intermittently splashing water on face-
neck, taking breaks (e.g. at construction sites). Some respondents migrate back to native places to escape summer
heat of city. Drinking more water needs sanitary toilets, not often available.

Adverse health impacts include dehydration, accumulated musculo-skeletal fatigue. Socio-economic impacts
includes wage loss owing to decreased productivity.

To progress towards achieving SDG 8 and 13, policies and programs should implement strategies to reduce heat-
stress related health risks of informal workers. NGO partnerships (SDG 17) have immense potential to inform policy
and strengthen policy implementation.

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