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Women, work, and health
1Department of Community Medicine, Mount Sinai School of Medicine, New York, NY 10029-6574, USA.
American Journal of Industrial Medicine
|September 1, 1997
Summary
Women workers perceive occupational hazards like stress and repetitive motions as more serious than men do. This highlights a significant gender gap in workplace safety concerns, impacting the occupational health research agenda.
Area of Science:
- Occupational Health
- Gender Studies in Health
- Workplace Safety Research
Background:
- Surveys reveal differing perceptions of workplace hazards between genders.
- Women respondents prioritized stress, repetitive motions, and infectious diseases.
- A distinct ranking of hazards exists for male workers.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the reasons behind gender-based differences in perceived occupational hazards.
- To analyze the implications of these differences for future occupational health research.
- To address the underrepresentation of female-specific workplace health concerns.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of survey data from the U.S. Bureau of National Affairs.
- Comparative ranking of 11 identified workplace hazards by female workers.
- Qualitative exploration of the disparity in hazard perception.
Main Results:
- Women ranked stress, repetitive motions, and AIDS as top concerns.
- Men's hazard rankings, though not detailed, are presumed to differ significantly.
- The identified hazard list for women includes VDTs, indoor air pollution, and reproductive hazards.
Conclusions:
- Gender significantly influences the perception of occupational health risks.
- The occupational health research agenda needs to incorporate gender-specific concerns.
- Addressing these disparities is crucial for equitable workplace safety.