Government vs. Private employee health scenario

Due to demanding schedules, high stress levels and
performance linked perquisites in private sectors, nearly 85% of employees in
private sectors are afflicted to life-style, chronic diseases and acute ailment
than the government employees ranging below 8%, according to a recent survey
conducted by ASSOCHAM on the occasion of ‘World Health day’.

ASSOCHAM’S survey reveals that 42% identified themselves are
afflicted to lifestyle disease, followed by 38% suffering from chronic disease
and remaining 15% have an acute ailment in the private sector.

While releasing the ASSOCHAM survey on “Government
vs. Private employee health scenario”, Mr. D S Rawat, Secretary General
ASSOCHAM said, there is due compensation for increased inflation by way of
dearness allowance (DA) to government employees whereas, the private sector is
by and large out of this facility.” 

Employees in private sectors are afflicted to life-style,
chronic diseases, acute ailment are:

The findings on the government employees reveal very
positive features ranging from reasonably good health, family stability,
cordial relationship etc, adds the survey. The survey further points out there
are many schemes in healthcare for government employees in addition to pension
which reflects better health standards in government jobs. 

Around 55 %of the survey respondents fall under the age
bracket of 20-29 years, followed by 30-39 years (26 per cent), 40-49 years (16
per cent), 50-59 years (2 per cent) and 60-69 years (approximately 1 per cent).

The report included the major cities like Delhi, Mumbai,
Kolkata, Chennai, Ahmedabad, Hyderabd, Pune, Chandigarh, Dehradun etc. A little
over 200 employee were selected from each city on an average.  Mumbai
ranks first afflicted to high levels of stress in private sector followed by
Delhi (2nd), Ahemdabad (3rd) Chandigarh (4th), Hyderabad (5th ), Kolkata (6th )
and Chennai (7th) etc. 

The survey was able to target private employees from 18
broad sectors, with maximum share contributed by employees from IT/ITes sector
(17 per cent).

*Others include employees from those sectors that have
contributed >= 1 %share in the survey (consumer durable, construction,
energy, healthcare, steel, HR and Misc)

Employees working in engineering and telecom sector
contributed 9% and 8% respectively in the questionnaire. Nearly 6% of the
employees belonged from market research/KPO and media background each. Management,
FMCG and Infrastructure sector employees share is 5% each, in the total survey.
Respondents from power and real estate sector contributed 4% each. Employees
from education and food& beverages sector provided a share of 3% each.
Advertising, manufacturing and textiles employees offered a share of 2% each in
the survey results.

“Rising cases of marital disputes and aberrated relationship
contributing to high level of stress as reflected in increased serious health
problems”, adds Dr. B K Rao, Chairman of Sir Ganga Ram Hospital and ASSOCHAM
Health Committee.

The increasingly demanding schedules and high stress levels
are leading to sleep disorders in private sector. Loss of sleep has wide
ranging effects including daytime fatigue, physical discomfort, psychological
stress, performance deterioration, low pain threshold and increase absenteeism.
The survey further points out that nearly 45% of the corporate employees in
private sector sleep less than 6 hours on a daily basis due to work related
pressure.

Around 58% of corporate employees in private sector are
deeply concerned about their future health, 38% are most of the time fearful
regarding their future health conditions and rest 4% are not at all fearful
about their future health, adds the ASSOCHAM Survey.

Chronic condition that forced them to absenteeism from
workplace are:

According to the survey, only 10% employees in private
sector have medical insurance, and much of it is inadequate. Nearly all private
health service providers require families to spend out-of-pocket at the point
of service. This leaves people, highly vulnerable. “Without adequate financial
support from the private organization, health remains a major cause of
financial insecurity”, adds Mr. Rawat.

In terms of the physical fitness, it was found that around
57% of the employees in the private organization said they ‘do not exercise at
all’, 23% do physical workout devoting less than 1 hour/week, 12 %of the
employees exercise for 1-3 hours/week, 8% of employees exercise for 3-6
hours/week and merely 7% stay fit by exercising for more than 6 hours/week. The
majority of the government employee said that they ‘do exercise’ and physical
workout to stay fit by exercising for more than 8 hours/week.

Work related stress can be defined as any level of mental or
physical strain that is gained due to pressures in the profession. Work stress
is given much impetus since it directly affects the private sectors, adds Mr.
Rawat.

Source: Assocham