OBJECTIVETo explore the occupational and reproductive health problems of migrant female workers in electron factory.

METHODSA total number of 2000 female migrant workers were randomly sampled from three electronic factories for the study. All were investigated by questionnaire and data were input to EpiData 3.0 data base, SPSS17.0 statistical software and analyzed by Chi-square test.

RESULTS1971 complete questionnaires were received, the recovery rate reached over 98.6%. The average age of interviewees is (21.1 ± 3.9) years. Junior employee between 16 and 18 years accounted for 19.04%. The average working age was (1.1 ± 2.2) years and about 90% were single including 0.11% of them were divorced. The main occupational hazards were: sodium hydroxide, sodium carbonate, formaldehyde, hydrochloric acid, stannic anhydride, benzene analogues, n-hexane methanol, glycol isopropanol, sulphuric acid, nitric oxide, noise, ultraviolet radiation, etc. Workplace monitoring indicated that benzene and noise levels and ultraviolet radiation were over the national OEL at fewer worksites. More than 50% female workers worked over 8 hours per day and 83% of them worked 22 days per month. The ergonomic problems: 63.86% of them worked with tedious repetitiveness and monotonous job task. About 42% of them need to be continuously with standing posture. As a consequence, there were 30% workers complain about LBP, 21% had experienced work injury; 15% ∼ 18% had some non-specific discomfort, such as insomnia, dysacusis, dizzy and headache. The incidence rate of reproductive system such as abnormal menstrual cycle (5.71%), dysmenorrhea (25.11%), congestion (8.91%), etc. The first four reproductive system disease were pelvic inflammation, adnexitis, cervical erosion, and vaginitis. There are significant differences between continuous and temporary standing work, and repeated and unrepeated job action in terms of dysmenorrheal and congestion related-discomfort(P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONThere are many occupational hazards in electronic industry. And there is somewhat a serious occupational and reproductive health problems among female migrant workers, that seem to be a matter of great concern.