Challenges and Health Problems of the Hajj: In View of Caravan Managers

The study of the caravan managers’ viewpoints influence effectively on the health promotion of the pilgrims for better planning in Hajj. So far, few studies are done in order to examine the health issues in Hajj. The purpose of this research is to study the caravan managers’ viewpoints about the major challenges of health in Hajj.

In this integrated study (qualitative & quantitative), 600 managers and 400 clergymen of the Hajj caravans were studied in the Annual Conference during Hajj in Qom in 2011. A researcher-made questionnaire was designed in two quantitative parts including 10 questions in the Likert scale and 5 open questions. Also, the answers were extracted based on the checklist.

The most important health challenges in view of responders were such as communicable diseases, food poisoning, pilgrims’ unfamiliarity with the proper diet plan, disregarding for the doctors and caravan managers advices, improper disposal of waste in the caravan, inappropriate position of toilets and failure in education during the Hajj and pilgrimage.

The results have shown that the survey of concerns and viewpoints given by caravan managers can help effectively to the planners of health services system during the Hajj and pilgrimage.