A study on living-environments and health problems of women who live in mountainous rural area (Sakuma-cho, Shizuoka prefecture) / 日本農村医学会雑誌

ABSTRACT

This investigation was carried out for three years (1981-1983) with medical examination and questionair, expecting to estimate the health characteristics of women who live inmountainous rural areas and interisting to find out the difference between farmers and nonfarmers, for 1922 female inhabitants in their 30-60ys as a object.<BR>Obtained main results are<BR>1) In medical examination which covered 508 (26.2%) in the first year, <BR>a) Incidence of hypertention (WHO criteria) calculated 34.6% and rate of obesity was 24.4%, showing as equal level as usual reports about mountainous area, but each showed nodifference between farmers and non-farmers.<BR>b) Incidence of anemia brought us the most interesting result in which non-farmersgroup showed significantly higher rate three years through.<BR>2) By questionair corresponded 328 (17.1%) in the second year, <BR>a) Of 124 farmers group (37.8% farming rate), only 14 (14.5%) answered able to earn a livelihood chiefly on agricultural income.<BR>b) Low back pain or menstrual disdurbance which were expected to explain some influence of agricultural labor showed no difference between two groups.<BR>These results suggested us, it might be true that non-farners women were more unhealthful than farmers in this corner.