Analysis

Depression report

A Study by the UAE University published late last year, concluded that 25.1% of low-paid workers in the UAE’s construction industry suffer from depression. The Big Project investigates the effects on construction labourers and the work of one charity that aims to help   Last year, UAE University commissioned a study into the effects of […]

A Study by the UAE University published late last year, concluded that 25.1% of low-paid workers in the UAE’s construction industry suffer from depression. The Big Project investigates the effects on construction labourers and the work of one charity that aims to help

 

Last year, UAE University commissioned a study into the effects of long hours, poor pay and impoverished living conditions on blue-collar labourers in the UAE. Despite comprising an 80% share of the country’s total population, little research has been conducted previously on the mental health and overall physical wellbeing of this large section of society.

A sample of 319 workers was identified in 30 labour camps across Al Ain, but only 239 fully completed the questionnaire. Of these, 124 worked in construction, earned less than AED1000 per month and worked more than eight hours a day on average.

The results found 25.1% of low-paid workers in the UAE’s construction industry suffer from depression; more than half of those who earned less than AED500 per month.

Of the sample questioned, 6.3% had experienced suicidal thoughts and 2.5% had attempted suicide.

“Mental disorders impose an immense societal burden leading to functional impairment, decreased quality of life, low productivity, lost wages and impaired interpersonal relationships,” the report reads.

“People who are depressed aren’t motivated to work,” commented one of the university’s public health specialists, directly involved in the report.

“Anyone who is depressed will be affected in terms of their moral, and their output will also suffer. This is all going to have an impact on productivity, not just on on sickness, illness and absences.

“The death of a worker who now has to be replaced – there are all the expenses involved in that, so it’s not just those costs, it also has an effect on productivity and worker output,” the specialist added.

The issue isn’t new to local media. An article by the Dubai-based 7DAYS newspaper, quoted 66 cases of suicide in Dubai in 2009, of which 95%  were single people aged between 25 to 40 years old and living in poverty.

The National reported on Oct 12, 2009 that “workers’ bosses should be urged to keep an eye on workers’ mental health”.

Study Background

The study – entitled ‘prevalence of depression and suicidal behaviors among male migrant workers in United Arab Emirates’ – was conducted by nine professors and associate professors from the university, whose hypothesis was based on the notion of “Dubai syndrome”.

The study was conducted from October to November 2008 by a group of final year students, under permission from the administration department of the labour camp. The University reports that the student’s work was conducted under “strict supervision” from “a number of outside organisations”, including the Al Ain Medical District Human Research Ethics Committee, which granted ethical approval for the study.

Considering factors such as job security, separation from families and poor living and working conditions, “Dubai syndrome” affects those whose actual situation does not match the expectations of life in the UAE, predominantly pegged to salary expectations.

Compounding these factors, many workers enter the country as low skilled employees with no knowledge of the cost of living, or working conditions they will be subjected to.

The majority of workers taking part in the report were from India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Nepal.

Intervention

In conclusion, the report states: “Policy level intervention and implementation is needed to improve working conditions, including minimum wages, and regulation of working hours is recommended.”
The results have been passed to the  Labour Ministry, supported with a set of  policy recommendations.

“The results weren’t surprising. The population we questioned within the labour camps  are increadibly isolated,” added the university specialist. To date most action designed to target and improve these conditions, has come from charities.

Adopt a Camp, founded by housewife Saher Shaikh, has helped almost 30,000 labourers in Dubai over the last six years.

At the launch of her latest project last month Shaikh says she has only witnessed cases of depression in the camps that are “not so well run”.

“Depression is common in labour camps. The whole mentality of the camp is something which leads to emotional excess because when there are a whole load of people, a multitude of men cooped up together, doing the same thing day after day, it tends to lead to anger getting aggravated,”  she says.

For the past six years, Shaikh has organised ‘care package’ donations during Ramadan, when hundreds of volunteers donate money and essential items – including tooth brushes and prickly heat power – to be packed into boxes and distributed to labour camps across the Emirate.

For the charity’s latest project, 20 labourers have been given cameras to help them document their daily lives (pictured above).

“It all depends on the camp conditions. There are some very well run camps and the men there are extremely happy. It’s only in the camps that are not so well run where you see cases of depression,” she added.

The Adopt a Camp photography project will feature in March issue of The Big Project. To keep up to date with all the latest news from adopt a camp, like their facebook page or email adoptacamp@gmail.com

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