Cardiorespiratory Fitness and Quality of Life among Handloom Workers of Sualkuchi, Assam: A Cross-sectional Study
Published: June 1, 2026 | DOI: https://doi.org/10.7860/JCDR/2026/79900.23573
Khetra Pratim Baruah, Somyata Chitaranjan Satpathy Sarma, Sonia Lakhotia
1. Physiotherapist, Department of Physiotherapy, The Assam Royal Global University, Guwahati, Assam, India.
2. Associate Professor, Department of Physiotherapy, The Assam Royal Global University, Guwahati, Assam, India.
3. Assistant Professor, Department of Physiotherapy, The Assam Royal Global University, Guwahati, Assam, India.
Correspondence
Somyata Chitaranjan Satpathy Sarma,
House Number 12 Near Krushna Path Garchuk Kalimandir Dhaolbama Mandir Kalimandir Dhalbama, Guwahati, Assam, India.
E-mail: somyata.satpathy@gmail.com
Introduction: Cardiorespiratory Fitness (CRF) measures how efficiently the heart, lungs, and muscles supply oxygen during exercise. Quality of Life (QoL) encompasses an individual’s perceived well-being and satisfaction across multiple domains, including physical, psychological, social, and en-vironmental aspects. Handloom workers are exposed to various occupational health hazards due to the na-ture of their work, which often leads to altered postural mechanisms, musculoskeletal injuries, respira-tory problems, etc. However, there has been limited research specifically addressing the CRF and overall QoL of handloom workers in Assam. This knowledge may aid in better healthcare resource allocation in the future based on their specific health needs.
Aim: The aim of the study is to analyse the CRF and understanding of the health challenges faced by handloom workers due to their occupational condition and how it is affecting the QoL of Handloom Workers of Sualkuchi, Assam, India.
Materials and Methods: The present cross-sectional study was conducted from January 2024 to June 2024 at Sualkuchi, Assam, India, where 74 handloom workers were assessed for CRF by the Modified Harvard Step Test. WHOQoL-BREF (World Health Organization Quality of Life - BREF (or Brief) assessment) was used to interpret the QoL across four domains: physical fitness, psychological well-being, relation-ships in society, and the effect of the environment. The Wilcoxon rank-sum test was used for the analy-sis of CRF and QoL. Correlational analysis was done between Physical Fitness Index (PFI) and Body Mass Index (BMI) using Spearman’s rank test, p<0.05 is considered significant.
Results: The mean age of the participants was 36.5(±4.4) and the duration they worked for was 7(±7), respectively. The BMI of 91% of participants was in the normal range, and only 9.5% were over-weight. Modified Harvard Step Test indicated that a significant number of handloom workers had a low PFI. In terms of QoL, the handloom workers rate their social relationships the highest among the quali-ty-of-life domains, while psychological well-being is the lowest-rated domain.
Conclusion: The present study underscores significant occupational health concerns among hand-loom workers, particularly in terms of CRF. Addressing these issues requires a multi-faceted approach, involving improvements in workplace conditions, health interventions, and psychological support.
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