Pollution and health status of women in a coastal community in Isabel, Leyte, Philippines

This study describes the health hazards experienced by women in a coastal community in Isabel, Leyte, Philippines as a result of pollution. It focuses on the management strategies of health hazards, the tasks of women, and how these affect their perceived health status. Sixty women were randomly chosen to serve as respondents for the study. Their ages ranged from 20-69 years old. Most were married and majority were able to attain a high school education. Most women had 3-4 children and a household size of 5-6 persons. On the average, these women had a monthly family income of P6,193. Findings showed that in the context of a community situated near industrial plants producing various types of pollutants, health hazards experienced by women on account of pollution are diseases generally related to the respiratory system. Women housewives and those with lower educational attainment are more likely to experience these health hazards since they have more home-based tasks that expose them to pollutants. These tasks include washing clothes, cleaning the house, disposing of garbage and taking care of livestock animals. Women who have the task of washing clothes, cleaning the house, and cooking food over wooden stoves particularly have an increased tendency to experience respiratory ailments due to indoor pollutants, an exposure that may exacerbate their vulnerability to a much more lethal outdoor pollutant the smoke emitted by the industrial plants located and operating near the area. Health hazards are managed via different strategies or a combination of strategies, the most common of which is self-medication. Women who suffer from common ailments and women who employ self-medication are more likely to have the highest health status ratings. Although women are aware of the presence and potential exposure to pollution in the area, they do not attribute health hazards to pollutants, nor do they consider that pollutants affect their perceived health status. Moreover, given the findings, it may be inferred that health status may be a function of factors other than pollution and its health hazards. These factors include those that are social and familial in nature, those that involve the health care system, and personal health attitudes