OCCUPATIONAL RISK FACTORS FOR TUBERCULOSIS AMONG MYANMAR MIGRANT WORKERS IN SONGKHLA PROVINCE, THAILAND

Abstract

Tuberculosis (TB) remains a major global health burden, disproportionately affecting migrant populations. Myanmar migrant factory workers in Southern Thailand may be at elevated occupational risk due to crowded and poorly-ventilated environments. This study aims to describe the socio-demographic characteristics and occupational risk factors for TB among Myanmar migrant factory workers in Songkhla Province, Thailand. We conducted a cross-sectional study among 330 Myanmar migrant workers in six factories. We collected data using a structured self-administered questionnaire covering socio-demographic characteristics and occupational risk factors. We then entered data using KoboToolbox and analyzed data using descriptive statistics. Most participants were female, Bamar, and Buddhist, with a mean age of 31.2 years. Regarding occupational conditions, 63.0% of the participants reported that their main work area had good airflow. Nearly 24.2% experienced visible dust daily, and 59.7% worked in crowded spaces. Most participants (88.2%) were unaware of any co-workers with TB in the past year. Our study findings provide baseline evidence to inform the design of targeted occupational health interventions and TB prevention strategies in factory settings.