The feasibility of non-communicable disease (NCD) risk-factor estimation among forest staff at Sahyadri Tiger Reserve in Central India

ABSTRACT

An increasing prevalence of non-communicable disease (NCD) risk factors in countries like India could pose a threat to the health and field capacities of forest staff. However, there is a lack of data globally about their NCD risks. Using data from preventive health checks conducted for forest staff at Sahyadri Tiger Reserve, in Maharashtra, Central India, this study assessed the feasibility of screening for NCD risk factors such as elevated glycated hemoglobin (HbA1C), abnormal lipid levels, use of tobacco and alcohol, high body mass index, high waist circumference, and elevated blood pressure. Follow-up surveys were conducted six months after preventive health interventions to collect details of health service utilization as well as feedback for the preventive health interventions. While reporting a high prevalence of NCD risk factors among forest staff – which could predispose them to cardiovascular disease – this study demonstrates that implementing workplace-based NCD screening interventions is feasible, effective, acceptable, and beneficial to forest staff.

Key policy insights

• Non-communicable diseases (NCDs) and associated risk factors may play an important role in the sustainability of conservation efforts. 

• NCDs should be integrated as a key component of the One Health paradigm.

• Workplace-based interventions for prevention and screening of NCDs could provide a feasible and effective method to mitigate health inequalities faced by the conservation workforce.

• Collaborative efforts to address the health needs of conservation staff working in remote rural regions could help achieve mutually beneficial outcomes for human health and conservation.

KEYWORDS:

• Non-communicable diseases
• preventive health
• One Health
• conservation
• forest staff
• India
• low middle-income countries
• protected areas
• public health

Acknowledgements

We are grateful to all of the Indian Forest Services (IFS) officials and the forest staff at Sahyadri Tiger Reserve, Maharashtra (India), for their support and participation. We thank Dr Narendra Kumbhare, Mr Sanjay Thakur, and Miss Katherine Duffey for their support in programme implementation.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Notes

1. BMI = Weight (kg)/Height² (m).

2. ‘Diagnostic gap’ refers to the percentage of people with the health condition (e.g. diabetes) that remain undiagnosed.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the Wildlife Conservation Trust, Mumbai (India) [NA].

Notes on contributors

Vishal Gadre

Vishal Gadre holds a master’s degree in public health from Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Mumbai (India), and is the Senior Programme Officer – Health at Wildlife Conservation Trust, Mumbai.

Chetan Trivedy

Chetan Trivedy is Chief Medical Officer at the Wildlife Conservation Trust, Mumbai (India). He is a consultant in emergency medicine at Brighton and Sussex University Hospital, a senior lecturer in EM at Queen Mary University, London, and founder of the Tulsi Foundation, London.