Study protocol: a cluster randomized controlled trial to assess the effectiveness of a multi-pronged behavioural intervention to improve use of personal protective equipment among migrant workers exposed to organic solvents in small and medium-sized enterprises.

Wen Chen,Fangjing Zhou,Xudong Li,Leiyu Shi,Siqi Han,Jingrong Shi,Li Ling,Guanyang Zou,Tongyang Li,Shanshan Feng

doi:10.1186/s12889-016-3268-6

Abstract

BackgroundIn China, most of migrant workers work in the small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and are a vulnerable group for occupational health. Migrant workers are at increased risk of occupational health risks due to poor occupational health behaviours such as the low use of personal protective equipment (PPE). However, there is a lack of solid evidence regarding how to improve the use of PPE among migrant workers in SMEs. The current study will assess the effectiveness of a multi-pronged behavioural intervention designed to promote PPE utilization among migrant workers exposed to organic solvents in SMEs.Methods/DesignThis is a single blind, three-arm cluster randomized trial with 60 SMEs equally randomized to receive a top-down intervention (i.e. general health education and mHealth intervention provided by researchers) or a comprehensive intervention (which includes both top-down intervention and peer education) or a control condition (participants will not receive the intervention, but study measures will be obtained). Interventions will be conducted at the SMEs level for 6 months and all eligible migrant workers in these SMEs will be enrolled into the trial. The primary outcome is effective use of PPE during the last week. The secondary outcomes are occupational health knowledge and attitude and participation in occupational health check-up. Data will be collected and assessed at baseline; 3 months post baseline and the end of the intervention.DiscussionThis theory- and evidence based intervention will contribute to the limited evidence of behaviour change intervention in improving PPE utilization of migrant workers in SMEs, and provide timely evidence for the development of basic occupational health services in China and elsewhere with similar industrialization contexts.Trial registrationChiCTR-IOR-15006929. Registered on 16 August 2015.

Highlights

In China, most of migrant workers work in the small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and are a vulnerable group for occupational health
This theory- and evidence based intervention will contribute to the limited evidence of behaviour change intervention in improving protective equipment (PPE) utilization of migrant workers in SMEs, and provide timely evidence for the development of basic occupational health services in China and elsewhere with similar industrialization contexts
Migrant workers are one of the main sources of labor force and a vulnerable group for occupational health. This is the first behavioural intervention programme targeting PPE utilization of migrant workers exposed to organic solvents in SMEs in China

Summary

Introduction

In China, most of migrant workers work in the small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and are a vulnerable group for occupational health. An estimated 2 million people die each year from work-related diseases causing an economic loss of about 2.8 trillion USD annually, or 4.0 % of the global gross domestic product (GDP) [3]. In these countries only 5 %–10 % workers have limited access to basic occupational health services aiming for the primary prevention and control of occupational and work-related diseases and injuries [4, 5]. We aim to design a multilevel behavioural intervention to promote PPE utilization among migrant workers in SMEs who are exposed to organic solvents

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