Global Journal of Human Social Science, C: Sociology and Culture, Volume 22 Issue 1

exposed to this pollution than men in high-income households. Although most of the existing literature manifested multiple health crises of women in different social, cultural, and geographical settings, assessing women’s understanding of air pollution in an environmentally vulnerable urban location is an under- researched area. Moreover, enough attention was not paid in the previous studies to examine the medical help-seeking behavior of women with diseases caused by air pollution. Considering the subsisting health challenges of air pollution proved in literature, this research aimed at digging dip to discover women’s perception of air pollution and their responses to air pollution diseases in a low-income urban community of Bangladesh. III. M ethodology The study employed qualitative methodology to assemble an in-depth understanding of how people comprehend, respond and perform in a particular context. Since qualitative research embraces the “subjective, constructed, multiple and diverse” reality of each individual (Sarantakos, 2005), it helps the researchers to examine diverse viewpoints, thoughts, and insights of respondents on the specific subject matter. Taking the scope of the qualitative approach into account, this study adopted the research method to quest the multiple perceptions and experiences of women related to air pollution and health. a) Study Setting The study was conducted in the Mridhabari area in Matuail, one of the hotspots for methane emission in Bangladesh, located in Dhaka South City Corporation. Per hour methane emission from the sanitary landfill of Matuail can be compared to running almost 0.2 million automobiles (“Matuail landfill’s per hour methane emission”, 2021). In addition, industrial wastes generated from the machinery industries, electronic manufacturing companies, gas and chemical industries, and warehouses located in the study site, along with fume from heavy transports, are increasing the levels of other greenhouse gases in the atmosphere and therefore contributing to a rising temperature that leads to human health hazards. b) Selection of Samples Participants for face-to-face in-depth interviews were selected from the population of FGDs who showed a willingness to take part in IDI. A total sample of 15 women (N=15) from different age groups who belong to low-income urban households was used to gather data through IDI.Homogeneity in terms of socio- cultural status and lifestyle had been observed even though respondents’ professional identities were not alike. The majority of the total population of IDI (n=10) had paid jobs outside the home, and the rest were (n=5) homemakers. The demographic characteristics of the women interviewed in-depth are outlined in Table 1. The respondents of the study had been identified based on three variables – 1) respondents’ occupation, 2) respondents’ academic qualification, and 3) age range to which the respondents belong. The reason behind focusing on respondents’ occupation is to detect the way (ambient/indoor air pollution) that affects their health. Academic qualification is an indicator to comprehend their perception about air pollution and its impacts as well as the range of their consciousness to combat health consequences derived from impure air. The last variable, age range, had been taken up for recognizing manifold physical and psychological health outcomes of the respondents and acquiring knowledge on how they cope with them. Table 1: Demographic characteristics of the women interviewed in-depth (N=15) © 2022 Global Journals Volume XXII Issue I Version I 49 ( ) Global Journal of Human Social Science - Year 2022 C Women’s Perception of Air Pollution and Associated Health Hazard Aspects – A Study in Low- Income Urban Space in Bangladesh Characteristic Frequency (n) Percentage (%) a. Occupation Heavy industry worker Cook in hostel Professional beggar Animal husbandry worker Home-maker b. Age range (16-25) (26-35) (36-45) (46-55) (56-65) c. Academic qualification Primary school Secondary school No formal education 7 1 1 1 5 7 4 2 0 2 4 5 6 46.6% 6.6% 6.6% 6.6% 33.3% 46.6% 26.6% 13.3% 0 13.3% 26.6% 33.3% 40% From the study location, the population had been selected through the non-probability purposive sampling technique. Sample for FGD (Focus group discussion) and IDI (In-depth-interview) were picked out conveniently using a locally pre-acquainted network from the study site. A sample of 21 women from different age groups was considered to conduct two FGD sessions. One FGD session consisted of 11 working women, and the another represented the participation of 10 homemakers.