CASE STUDY: Hookworm Infection & Productivity

Background Hookworm infection is a parasitic condition that affects the small intestine and lungs; in humans, the infection is caused by the roundworms Necator americanus and Ancylostoma duodenale. This disease is prevalent in tropical and subtropical zones, where there are moist environments. About 1 billion people are affected worldwide, mostly in developing countries. Many children in these countries have succumbed to this infection due to poor sanitation and contact with waste. The leading factor in becoming a victim is walking where infected people have left feces.

How the infection works:

Hookworm larvae breaks through the skin and move into the lungs through the bloodstream. The worms are around 1/2 inches long and enter the airways after traveling up the person's windpipe. After the larvae are swallowed, they infect the small intestine and eventually develop into adults. They live there for 1 or more years and start the cycle again when worms and larvae are deposited from the body through feces.

Health & Productivity A case study on iron deficiency anemia and the productivity of adult males in Indonesia was published in 1979 that highlighted the important link between health and productivity. A test was conducted by doctors; iron supplements and placebos were administered to these workers to see if work output increased with iron treatments.

"Approximately 88% of adult male workers on a rubber plantation in West Java, Indonesia had hookworm infection, and over 45% were anemic as judged by a hemoglobin level below

13 g/100 mL."

Lessons learned Those with iron supplements became less anemic and overall productivity increased by about 20 percent. Good health increases longevity; the longer one lives, the longer one earns. This study showed that healthy workers are more productive than unhealthy workers.