Type of Fuels Used and Health Problems - A Study

The study attempts to focus on social, environmental and economic dimensions of house-hold fuel use in Tuticorin District and find feasible solutions to minimize indoor air pollution and to move to better fuels and its effects on women’s health. The present study has covered the three villages from Ottapidaram taluk in Tuticorin District viz, Tharuvaikulam, Vellapatti, and Muppilipatti. The primary data was collected with the help of specially prepared interview schedule. Totally 238 women respondents were selected by using simple random sampling method. The secondary data is collected mainly through published articles, books, research studies, various documents and the Internet. The data relate to the month of August 2012. This is purely a descriptive study. Percentage analysis, averages, standard deviation, variance, chi-square tests, Cramer’s V and probability analysis were used for the analysis.Findings: 1. The average number of the respondents in Tuticorin District study areas was about 60 members and standard deviation was about 70. 2. The majority of the women respondents in the study is educated. Most (55%) of them are educated up to primary school level. The illiterates were 38%. 3. It could be concluded that 66 per cent of the women respondents have a family size of 1-4 members and 34 per cent of the respondents have a family size of 4-8 members. The result of chi-square analysis (χ2=19.12, P=0.000070) revealed that there is significant relationship between family size and type of fuels used in the study area at 5% level. 4. The study revealed that 86% of the women respondents are earning an income up to Rs.2000, 1% of the respondents are earning Rs.2000-Rs.4000 monthly and the others (13%) are earning above Rs.4000 monthly. 5. We conclude that more number of the women respondents are engaged in agriculture for their means for livelihood i.e. 221 respondents are agriculture earning people. 6. The data reveal that 85 per cent of the women respondents cook 2 times in a day and only 6 per cent of the cooks 1 time. 9 per cent of the respondents in 3 times and average number of the respondents in Tuticorin District study areas was about 79 members and standard deviation was about 107. 7. In the sample of 238 respondents, 60 of the women respondents use LPG stove. 96 of the respondents use kerosene stove and 82 of the respondents use traditional stove with stones. 68 per cent of the respondents said that they have health problems and 32 per cent of the respondents said that they don’t have any health problems. The chi-square analysis result (χ2=7.58, p=0.022596) shows no significant relationship of health problems and type of fuels used in the study area. 8. It could be concluded that 27 per cent of the women respondents have leg pain, back pain. 23 per cent have cough and 24 per cent of the respondents have eye problem irritation. 16 per cent of the respondents have fever, head ache and 10 per cent of the respondents having wheezing, and average number of the respondents in Tuticorin District study areas was about 48 members and standard deviation was about 16. 9. 77 per cent of the women respondents taken treatment for the health problem of 23 per cent of the women respondents has not taken any treatment for any health problems. In this study too, this hypothesized preposition is supported by the significant relationships which exist between treatment for the health problem and type of fuels used (χ2=15.05, df=2, P=0.000539). 10. It could be concluded that 72 per cent of the women respondents said “yes” to healthier alternative fuel. 28 per cent of the respondents said “no” to alternative fuel. The result of chi-square- test (χ2=51.88, P=