Nepali Migrant Workers and Their Occupational Health Hazards in the Workplace: A Scoping Review
Abstract
:1. Introduction
2. Materials and Methods
- Nepali migrant workers working abroad;
- Workplace hazards, injuries, and risks faced by Nepali migrant workers in working abroad;
- Peer-reviewed publications, either quantitative, qualitative, or mixed-methods research;
- Literature published up to July 2024;
- Only publications in the English language.
- Studies conducted with non-migrant workers or internal migrant workers and their workplace hazards;
- Studies not in the English language;
- Systematic reviews, scoping reviews, book chapters, editorials, or commentaries.
3. Results
3.1. Identification and Selection of the Articles
3.2. Characteristics of Included Studies
3.3. Studies Exploring Occupational Hazards in the Workplace
3.3.1. Poor Working Environment
3.3.2. Injuries Risks and Safety
3.3.3. Discriminatory Behaviours
3.3.4. Psychosocial Hazards
4. Discussion
4.1. Implications for Policy and Practice
4.2. Strengths and Limitations of the Study
5. Conclusions
Author Contributions
Funding
Institutional Review Board Statement
Informed Consent Statement
Data Availability Statement
Conflicts of Interest
References
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Author, Year | Aim of the Study | Study Country, Year | Study Setting | Type of Study | Sample Size | Participants’ Characteristics |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Adhikari et al., 2017 [35] | To assess the extent of workplace accidents among Nepali migrant workers in Malaysia, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia | Nepal; 2011 | Kathmandu, Tribhuvan International Airport | Quantitative survey | 403 | Age (range): 45.9% were aged between 20 to 29 years Sex: all male Literacy: 24.6% were illiterate Marital status: 91.3% married Migrant’s working sector: 30.8% were in unskilled jobs. |
Adhikary et al., 2018 [36] | To assess the health and mental wellbeing of Nepali construction and factory workers employed in Malaysia, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia | Nepal; 2011 | Kathmandu, Tribhuvan International Airport | Quantitative survey | 403 | Age (range): 45.9% were aged between 20 to 29 years Sex: all male Literacy: 24.6% were illiterate Marital status: 91.3% married Migrant’s working sector: 30.8% were in unskilled jobs. |
Adhikary et al., 2019 [42] | To explore the personal experiences of male Nepali migrants with unintentional injuries at their place of work. | Nepal; 2011 | International Airport and nearby hotels /guesthouses | Qualitative study | 20 | Age (range): mean age 31.3 years (ranged from 20 to 49 years) Sex: all male Literacy: 50% had no education Marital status: 75% were married Migrant’s working sector: NR. |
Ahmed et al., 2022 [39] | To identify the key stressors faced by ethnic minority construction workers (EM-CWs) and propose practical solutions to manage these stressors in the industry. | Hong Kong; NR | Construction industry | Qualitative study | 13 | Age (range): ranges between 20–59 years old Sex: all male Literacy: NR Marital status: NR Migrant’s working sector: 6 skilled and 7 semi-skilled workers. |
Al-Sayyad and Hamadeh, 2014 [30] | To measure the burden of climate-related conditions (CRC) on health services in the main labourers’ clinic in the Kingdom of Bahrain | Bahrain; 2008 | Health facility | Quantitative survey | 3715 | Age (range): NR Sex: NR Literacy: NR Marital status: NR Migrant’s working sector: NC. |
Al-Thani et al., 2015 [31] | To analyse and describe the epidemiology of these injuries based on the worker’s nationality residing in Qatar. | Qatar; 2010–2013 | Trauma centre | Retrospective routine data analysis | 563 | Age (range): mean age was 32 years (10.3) Sex: NC Literacy: NC Marital status: NC Migrant’s working sector: NC. |
Atteraya et al., 2021 [44] | To delineate the main suicide risk factors for this group of migrants. | Korea; NR | Self-help groups of migrant communities | Qualitative study | 20 | Age (range): ranges between 22 to 41 years Sex: 85% male and 15% female Literacy: NR Marital status: NR Migrant’s working sector: semi-skilled in manufacturing sectors. |
Consunji et al., 2022 [28] | To describe the work-related injuries and deaths in Qatar. | Qatar; 2020 | Health facility | Retrospective routine data analysis | 44,687 | Age (range): NR Sex: NR, Literacy: NR Marital status: NR Migrant’s working sector: semi-skilled in the construction sector. |
Devkota et al., 2021 [40] | To explore the mental health and wellbeing experiences of Nepali male returnee migrants. | Nepal; 2020 | Community | Qualitative study | 19 interviews (FGDs—4 and IDIs—15) | Age (range): ranges between 19 to 55 years old Sex: all male Literacy: 72% had secondary level Marital status: NR Migrant’s working sector: 48% were labourers—security guards, office boys/cleaners. |
Frost, 2004 [32] | To explore the Nepali migrant’s work-related issues working in Hong Kong. | Hong Kong; 2001 | Community | Quantitative survey | 267 | Age (range): 17% were younger than 25 years old Sex: 88.4% male and 11.6% female Literacy: NR Marital status: NR Migrant’s working sector: 74% of Nepali migrants worked in the construction sector. |
Grossman-Thomps, 2023 [45] | To explore the violence experience of Nepali women migrant workers abroad. | Nepal; 2016 | Community and virtually (telephone or online) | Qualitative study | 30 | Age (range): NR Sex: All female Literacy: NR Marital status: NR Migrant’s working sector: NR. |
Jones et al., 2024 [46] | To explore the migrant worker’s work and accommodation in Malaysia. | Malaysia and Nepal; NR | Community | Qualitative study | 104 | Age (range): NR Sex: both male and female migrants including other stakeholders. Literacy: NR Marital status: NR Migrant’s working sector: males worked in service, construction. and agriculture whereas all females worked as factory workers. |
Joshi et al., 2011 [16] | To explore the health problems and accidents experienced by a sample of Nepali migrants in three Gulf countries. | Nepal; 2009 | InternationalAirport and nearby hotel/guest house | Quantitative survey | 408 | Age (range): mean age 32 (6.5) years Sex: 92.4% male and 7.6% female Literacy: 76.2% had primary-level education Marital status: 80.6% married Migrant’s working sector: majority were semi-skilled—54.9% construction work, and 18.1% household/manual servant. |
Latifi et al. (2015) [33] | To analyse the traffic-related pedestrian injuries (TRPI) amongst expatriates to RDC. | Qatar; 2009–2011 | Health facility | Retrospective routine data analysis | 4997 | Age (range): NR Sex: NR Literacy: NR Marital status: NR Migrant’s working sector: NR. |
Min et al. (2016) [34] | To describe the epidemiology of work-related ocular injuries and their visual outcome in a tertiary hospital in southern Malaysia. | Malaysia; 2011–13 | Health facility | Retrospective routine data analysis | 935 | Age (range): ranges 20 to 60 years old Sex: 98.2% were male Literacy: NR Marital status: NR Migrant’s working sector: NR. |
Paudyal et al., 2023 [13] | To understand the health and wellbeing issues of Nepali migrant workers in Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries. | Nepal; 2019 | Community | Mixed-methods study | N = 80 (Survey—60 and KIIs 20) | Age (range): median age 34 years, ranges 23–51 years Sex: male 96.7% (n = 58), female 3.3% (n = 2) Literacy: 8.3% (n = 5) had no formal education Marital status: 91.7% (n = 55) currently married Migrant’s working sector: semi-skilled—28.3% manufacturing /factory workers. |
Pradhan et al., 2019 [29] | To analyse the mortality status due to occupational heat stress working in high ambient temperature and its association with cardiovascular problems (CVP) of Nepali migrant workers in Qatar. | Qatar; 2009–2017 | Community | Retrospective routine data analysis | 1354 | Age: NR Sex: NR Literacy: NR Marital status: NR Migrant’s working sector: NR. |
Regmi et al., 2019 [43] | To explore issues of accommodation and working environments in the context of health vulnerabilities amongst Nepali migrants in India. | India; 2017 | Community | Qualitative study | 78 | Age (range): ranges 19–50 years Sex: 51.3% (n = 40) male and 48.7% (n = 38) female Literacy: 21.8% were literate Marital status: 91.5% were married Migrant’s working sector: 31.5% security/watchman, 45% domestic workers/cleaners. |
Regmi et al., 2019 [41] | To identify triggers of mental ill-health among Nepali migrant workers. | Nepal; 2017 | Tribhuvan International Airport | Qualitative study | FGDs—4, IDIs—7 and KIIs—8 | Age (range): ranges between 21 to 53 years Sex: male and female Literacy: NR Marital status: NR Migrant’s working sector: semi-skilled worked in the security and domestic workers. |
Sharma et al., 2023 [37] | To identify and determine the predictors of psychological wellbeing among Nepali migrant workers in Gulf countries and Malaysia. | Nepal; 2019 | Tribhuvan International Airport | Quantitative survey | 502 | Age (range): mean age—32.97 (7.6) years Sex: male 93% and female 7% Literacy: primary level (35.7%) Marital status: unmarried 18.3% Migrant’s working sector: office workers (7.8%), construction (25.9%), housemaid/housekeeping (8.4%), and security (7%). |
Simkhada et al., 2018 [20] | To explore the health problems of female Nepali migrants working in the Middle East and Malaysia. | Nepal; 2009–14 | Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) | Retrospective routine data analysis | 1010 | Age (range): median age of 31 Sex: all female returnee migrants Literacy: 37.4% were illiterate Marital status: 24% were unmarried, 20.7% divorced/separated, and 7% were widowed Migrant’s working sector: unskilled in domestic work. |
Sunam, 2023 [38] | To explore the lived experiences of migrant workers in Malaysia. | Malaysia; 2017–19 | Social network in Malaysia-based Nepali diaspora | Qualitative study | 31 | Age (range): ranged between the ages 20 to 35 years Sex: 26 male and 5 female Literacy: NR Marital status: 80% married Migrant’s working sector: security guards and restaurant workers. |
Wahab et al., 2023 [48] | To assess the barriers and causes underpinning actual and potential drivers of forced labour involving Nepali workers in Malaysia. | Malaysia; 2021 | Multiple workstations | Mixed-methods study | N = 117 (Survey—76 and in-depth interviews—41) | Age (range): NR Sex: NR Literacy: NR Marital status: NR Migrant’s working sector: unskilled and low-wage labourers. |
Wu et al., 2024 [47] | To explore precarity in short-term women’s migration using the case study of Nepal. | Nepal; 2022 | Community | Qualitative study | 46 (6 FGD & 12 KIIs) | Age (range): NR Sex: female returnee migrants Literacy: NR, Marital status: NR, Migrant’s working sector: domestic work. |
Author, Year | Reported Workplace Hazards | Key Findings | Limitations of the Study |
---|---|---|---|
Adhikari et al., 2017 [35] | Workplace accidents and injuries |
|
|
Adhikary et al., 2018 [36] | Poor workplace environment/general health issues |
| NR |
Adhikary et al., 2019 [42] | Work-related accidents |
|
|
Ahmed et al., 2022 [39] | Poor work environment, long working hours, pay differences |
|
|
Al-Sayyad and Hamadeh, 2014 [30] | Climate-related conditions/heat-related disease |
|
|
Al-Thani et al., 2015 [31] | Occupation injuries/falls of heavy objects |
|
|
Atteraya et al., 2021 [44] | Workplace risks factors |
|
|
Consunji et al., 2022 [28] | Workplace injuries |
| NR |
Devkota et al., 2021 [40] | Adverse working condition |
|
|
Frost, 2004 [32] | Payment discrimination/no access to basic facilities (i.e., drinking water, toilet, bathroom) |
| NR |
Grossman-Thomps, 2023 [45] | Workplace abuses |
|
|
Jones et al., 2024 [46] | Poor living environment and long working hours |
| NR |
Joshi et al., 2011 [11,16] | Workplace injuries/accidents |
|
|
Latifi et al., (2015) [33] | Traffic-related pedestrian injuries |
|
|
Min et al., (2016) [34] | Eye injuries due to fall of objects |
|
|
Paudyal et al. 2023 [13] | Work abuse, injuries, sexual violence |
|
|
Pradhan et al., 2019 [29] | Environmental health and workplace accidents |
|
|
Regmi et al., 2019 [43] | Workplace injuries/accidents |
|
|
Regmi et al., 2019 [41] | Maltreatment/discrimination, workplace abuse |
|
|
Sharma et al., 2023 [37] | Workplace issues |
|
|
Simkhada et al., 2018 [20] | Workplace abuse/injuries, torture/maltreatment |
|
|
Sunam, 2023 [38] | Workplace injuries/accidents |
| NR |
Wahab et al., 2023 [48] | Workplace discriminatory behaviours |
| NR |
Wu et al., 2024 [47] | Workplace abuse |
|
|
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© 2024 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).
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Wasti, S.P.; Babatunde, E.; Bhatta, S.; Shrestha, A.; Wasti, P.; GC, V.S. Nepali Migrant Workers and Their Occupational Health Hazards in the Workplace: A Scoping Review. Sustainability 2024, 16, 7568. https://doi.org/10.3390/su16177568
Wasti SP, Babatunde E, Bhatta S, Shrestha A, Wasti P, GC VS. Nepali Migrant Workers and Their Occupational Health Hazards in the Workplace: A Scoping Review. Sustainability. 2024; 16(17):7568. https://doi.org/10.3390/su16177568
Chicago/Turabian StyleWasti, Sharada Prasad, Emmanuel Babatunde, Santosh Bhatta, Ayushka Shrestha, Pratikshya Wasti, and Vijay S. GC. 2024. "Nepali Migrant Workers and Their Occupational Health Hazards in the Workplace: A Scoping Review" Sustainability 16, no. 17: 7568. https://doi.org/10.3390/su16177568