Publication: Case study of tobacco use among myanmar migrant factory workers in the seafood industry in thailand
Issued Date
2021-08-02
Resource Type
ISSN
16604601
16617827
16617827
Other identifier(s)
2-s2.0-85112586216
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Mahidol University
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SCOPUS
Bibliographic Citation
International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. Vol.18, No.16 (2021)
Suggested Citation
Naowarut Charoenca, Nan Khin Thet Chaw, Nipapun Kungskulniti, Stephen L. Hamann Case study of tobacco use among myanmar migrant factory workers in the seafood industry in thailand. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. Vol.18, No.16 (2021). doi:10.3390/ijerph18168659 Retrieved from: https://repository.li.mahidol.ac.th/handle/20.500.14594/77021
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Title
Case study of tobacco use among myanmar migrant factory workers in the seafood industry in thailand
Abstract
Migrant workers commonly face many health disparities when they relocate to a foreign work environment. Many workers migrating to Thailand are young unskilled workers from Myan-mar. In this study, we examine factors associated with Myanmar migrant workers’ smoking status and characterized smoking‐related knowledge, attitudes, and behavior in one seafood factory in Thailand. This descriptive study utilized person‐to‐person interviews among 300 Myanmar migrants in one seafood factory in Thailand, of which 94.3% were young males between 18 and 39 years of age. Results demonstrated that 90% were current daily smokers, over 90% smoked 30–60 times per month, and 95% spent less than 500 baht (US $16) per month on smoking. About 70% of current smokers had 6–10 friends who smoked, compared with 40% of non‐smokers (chi‐square, p‐ value ≤ 0.07). Among this sample of mainly male migrant workers, smoking is very common, in part driven through social contact, but levels of dependence appear relatively low. The results sug-gest potential intervention approaches to reduce high smoking prevalence among this population, such as targeting young males and addressing their concerns about negative attitudes by peers to tobacco use and the unhealthful exposures of women and children in their families and the larger community.
