The health and work conditions of informal traders marketplaces of Popayán, Colombia

Abstract

Introduction: Health and work conditions of people dedicated to informal trade are of recent interest given the diagnosis realized by chancellorship of social protection in the year 2002-2007, in order to meet the needs of the population and establish health actions from departmental and municipal government level. However, Cauca department was not included in that diagnosis.

Objective: Determinate the health and work conditions of informal traders marketplaces of Popayán, Colombia.

Methodology: It was performed a descriptive and cross-sectional study, in 883 informal traders of five marketplaces from Popayán city, Colombia. There was applied the national survey of Conditions of Health and Work of the informal trade of Colombian chancellorship for the Social Protection.

Results: It was found that of the 883 informal traders included in the study, a total of 568 individuals (64,3%) were women, of which 80,8% earn less than LMW (Legal Minimum Wage), 39,2% are head of households and only 2,99% have higher education levels. Most belong to the subsidized regime (47,6%), but social protection covers only health and not pensions (0,3%) neither professional risks (0,8%). More than 82,2% are sedentary, they consume alcohol in 54,1%, and smoking was successfully detected in a small percentage (10,6%). 51,5% reported having a good health condition, followed by 26,8% in the workplace found that the population is exposed to different factors of risk as: ergonomic, physical, chemical, of safety, psychosocial and civil insecurity.

Conclusions: The conditions of health of the evaluated population are good although not all are affiliated a general integral security system; however, working conditions are precarious.