Impact of chronic lymphatic filariasis on quantity and quality of productive work among weavers in an endemic village from India

Abstract

Objective To assess the impact of hydrocele and lymphoedema on the quantity and quality of productive work of weavers. Method Case–control study in an endemic village in Andhra Pradesh, India. We collected qualitative data on work activities from cases and age‐ and sex‐matched controls through informal discussions and observation. Results The mean (±standard deviation) daily work time of cases was 7.38 h (±2.47), significantly less than that of controls (8.17 ± 2.41 h). Lost work time was equivalent to around 29 days of work in a year. Gender had significant influence on the mean number of working hours in this occupational group. Most cases could not weave, which is physically demanding, and preferred less strenuous tasks such as spinning, starching, dyeing or sizing. Hard physical labour constitutes 71.5% of total work time among patients and 83.7% in controls. As income also depends on the type of work, cases earn less. Conclusions Filariasis has an adverse impact on the productivity of weavers, and morbidity management strategies and control programmes need to take this into account.