Perspectives on women's occupational health

This commentary provides a brief history of the development of the field of women's occupational health and safety. It discusses the broadening of the field from one with a reproductive health focus to one that considers women in their many roles and varied stages of life. Much of this widening of focus was contemporaneous with the growth of the women's movement. The paper emphasizes that the work burden borne by employed women in general includes responsibilities for homemaking and caregiving in addition to paid employment. Possible implications of these multiple roles are discussed, as are the major social, physical, biological, and chemical hazards encountered in traditional female employment. A research agenda for overcoming some of the research and policy barriers to a complete understand of women's occupational health burden and to development of preventive policies is proposed.