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Women’s Health and the Work Environment
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Women’s Health and the Work Environment

A special issue of International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (ISSN 1660-4601). This special issue belongs to the section "Global Health".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 January 2017) | Viewed by 42157

Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Mary H. Palmer

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
School of Nursing, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
Interests: bladder health; women's health; aging; behavior and environment
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Prof. Dr. Shawn Kneipp

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
School of Nursing, The University of North Carolina Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

We are organizing a Special Issue on the impact of the workplace environment on women’s health in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. The venue is a peer-reviewed scientific journal that publishes articles and communications in the interdisciplinary area of environmental health sciences and public health. For detailed information on the journal, we refer you to https://0-www-mdpi-com.brum.beds.ac.uk/journal/ijerph.

Improving public health is an important objective for societies at large and the policy makers responsible for shaping the environments where people live, work, and play. Public health refers to preventing disease, prolonging life, and promoting physical, mental, and social well-being. In this Special Issue, we focus on the environment within workplaces that may disproportionately—or differentially—impact the health of women. Examples include exposures to factors that increase disease or injury risk for women (e.g., noise, chemicals or other potentially toxic or infectious agents, building structures or equipment that are not ergonomically configured for women, etc.), or reduce the likelihood of engaging in behaviors that promote population health (e.g., breastfeeding, physical activity, eating a nutritious diet, etc.). Manuscripts that incorporate a social justice and/or health equity perspective are especially encouraged.

 

This Special Issue is open to any subject area related to the impacts of the workplace environment on the health of women as described above. The listed keywords suggest just a few of the many possibilities.

Prof. Dr. Mary H. Palmer
Prof. Dr. Shawn Kneipp
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2500 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Although publication fees routinely apply to articles published in this journal, for this special issue, the guest editors will select up to 5 manuscripts in which the publication fee will be waived. Selection of articles to receive the publication fee waiver will be based entirely on manuscript quality following an initial review by the guest editors, and will be dependent on receiving a final acceptance for publication notification following peer review.

Keywords

  • Environment
  • Public health
  • Workplace
  • Physical activity
  • Environmental exposure
  • Social justice
  • Health equity
  • Injury prevention
  • Disease prevention
  • Workplace safety
  • Health promotion

Published Papers (6 papers)

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Research

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850 KiB  
Article
Work Characteristics Associated with Physical Functioning in Women
by Aimee J. Palumbo, Anneclaire J. De Roos, Carolyn Cannuscio, Lucy Robinson, Jana Mossey, Julie Weitlauf, Lorena Garcia, Robert Wallace and Yvonne Michael
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2017, 14(4), 424; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ijerph14040424 - 15 Apr 2017
Cited by 9 | Viewed by 4823
Abstract
Women make up almost half of the labor force with older women becoming a growing segment of the population. Work characteristics influence physical functioning and women are at particular risk for physical limitations. However, little research has explored the effects of work characteristics [...] Read more.
Women make up almost half of the labor force with older women becoming a growing segment of the population. Work characteristics influence physical functioning and women are at particular risk for physical limitations. However, little research has explored the effects of work characteristics on women’s physical functioning. U.S. women between the ages of 50 and 79 were enrolled in the Women’s Health Initiative Observational Study between 1993 and 1998. Women provided job titles and years worked at their three longest-held jobs (n = 79,147). Jobs were linked to characteristics in the Occupational Information Network. Three categories of job characteristics related to substantive complexity, physical demand, and social collaboration emerged. The association between job characteristics and physical limitations in later life, measured using a SF-36 Physical Functioning score <25th percentile, was examined using modified Poisson regression. After controlling for confounding variables, high physical demand was positively associated with physical limitations (RR = 1.09 CI: 1.06–1.12) and substantively complex work was negatively associated (RR = 0.94, CI: 0.91–0.96). Jobs requiring complex problem solving, active learning, and critical thinking were associated with better physical functioning. Employers should explore opportunities to reduce strain from physically demanding jobs and incorporate substantively complex tasks into women’s work to improve long-term health. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Women’s Health and the Work Environment)
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1373 KiB  
Article
Building Health Promotion into the Job of Home Care Aides: Transformation of the Workplace Health Environment
by Naoko Muramatsu, Lijuan Yin and Ting-Ti Lin
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2017, 14(4), 384; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ijerph14040384 - 05 Apr 2017
Cited by 21 | Viewed by 6600
Abstract
Home care aides (HCAs), predominantly women, constitute one of the fastest growing occupations in the United States. HCAs work in clients’ homes that lack typical workplace resources and benefits. This mixed-methods study examined how HCAs’ work environment was transformed by a pilot workplace [...] Read more.
Home care aides (HCAs), predominantly women, constitute one of the fastest growing occupations in the United States. HCAs work in clients’ homes that lack typical workplace resources and benefits. This mixed-methods study examined how HCAs’ work environment was transformed by a pilot workplace health promotion program that targeted clients as well as workers. The intervention started with training HCAs to deliver a gentle physical activity program to their older clients in a Medicaid-funded home care program. Older HCAs aged 50+ reported increased time doing the types of physical activity that they delivered to their clients (stretching or strengthening exercise) (p = 0.027). Almost all (98%) HCAs were satisfied with the program. These quantitative results were corroborated by qualitative data from open-ended survey questions and focus groups. HCAs described how they exercised with clients and how the psychosocial work environment changed with the program. Building physical activity into HCAs’ job is feasible and can effectively promote HCAs’ health, especially among older HCAs. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Women’s Health and the Work Environment)
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726 KiB  
Article
Sitting Time, Physical Activity and Sleep by Work Type and Pattern—The Australian Longitudinal Study on Women’s Health
by Bronwyn K. Clark, Tracy L. Kolbe-Alexander, Mitch J. Duncan and Wendy Brown
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2017, 14(3), 290; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ijerph14030290 - 10 Mar 2017
Cited by 24 | Viewed by 5331
Abstract
Data from the Australian Longitudinal Study on Women’s Health were used to examine how work was associated with time spent sleeping, sitting and in physical activity (PA), in working women. Young (31–36 years; 2009) and mid-aged (59–64 years; 2010) women reported sleep (categorised [...] Read more.
Data from the Australian Longitudinal Study on Women’s Health were used to examine how work was associated with time spent sleeping, sitting and in physical activity (PA), in working women. Young (31–36 years; 2009) and mid-aged (59–64 years; 2010) women reported sleep (categorised as shorter ≤6 h/day and longer ≥8 h/day) and sitting time (work, transport, television, non-work computer, and other; summed for total sitting time) on the most recent work and non-work day; and moderate and vigorous PA (categorised as meeting/not meeting guidelines) in the previous week. Participants reported occupation (manager/professional; clerical/sales; trades/transport/labourer), work hours (part-time; full-time) and work pattern (shift/night; not shift/night). The odds of shorter sleep on work days was higher in both cohorts for women who worked shift or night hours. Longer sitting time on work days, made up primarily of sitting for work, was found for managers/professionals, clerical/sales and full-time workers. In the young cohort, clerical/sales workers and in the mid-aged cohort, full-time workers were less likely to meet PA guidelines. These results suggest multiple behaviour interventions tailored to work patterns and occupational category may be useful to improve the sleep, sitting and activity of working women. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Women’s Health and the Work Environment)
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306 KiB  
Article
The Health and Working Conditions of Women Employed in Child Care
by Laura Linnan, Gabriela Arandia, Lori A. Bateman, Amber Vaughn, Natalie Smith and Dianne Ward
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2017, 14(3), 283; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ijerph14030283 - 09 Mar 2017
Cited by 58 | Viewed by 7659
Abstract
Over one million women are employed in child care and are among the lowest wage workers in the US. The health and working conditions of 674 child care workers (118 administrators and 556 staff) from 74 centers is described using baseline data from [...] Read more.
Over one million women are employed in child care and are among the lowest wage workers in the US. The health and working conditions of 674 child care workers (118 administrators and 556 staff) from 74 centers is described using baseline data from a larger intervention trial. Participants were 39.9 (±13.0) years old; 55.4% African American, 37.1% Caucasian, and 5.3% of Hispanic ethnicity. Seventy-six percent reported having an Associate’s degree or less; 42% were classified as at or below poverty (<$20,000); and exhibited many health risks such as excess weight, insufficient activity, poor diet, and inadequate sleep. We investigated potential differences by income and job category. Lower income participants were significantly more likely to be current smokers (19.9% vs. 11.7%), drink more sweetened beverages (1.9 vs. 1.5), and report higher depressive symptoms (15.5 vs. 12.6). Administrators worked more hours weekly compared to staff (46.4 vs. 40.6), are less active (100 vs. 126 min/week), more sedentary (501 vs. 477 min/day), and reported higher job demands (13.3 vs. 12.5). Given the numerous health issues and challenging work conditions, we hope our results serve as a call to action for addressing low wages and the work environment as a means of influencing the health and well-being of child care workers. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Women’s Health and the Work Environment)

Review

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336 KiB  
Review
Workplace Hazards Faced by Nursing Assistants in the United States: A Focused Literature Review
by AnnMarie Lee Walton and Bonnie Rogers
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2017, 14(5), 544; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ijerph14050544 - 19 May 2017
Cited by 48 | Viewed by 12398
Abstract
Nursing assistants (NAs) make up a large share of the healthcare provider workforce and their numbers are expected to grow. NAs are predominantly women who earn a low wage and report financial, work, and family demands. Working as a NA is hazardous; this [...] Read more.
Nursing assistants (NAs) make up a large share of the healthcare provider workforce and their numbers are expected to grow. NAs are predominantly women who earn a low wage and report financial, work, and family demands. Working as a NA is hazardous; this manuscript specifically examines the biological/infectious, chemical, enviromechanical, physical and psychosocial hazards that appear in the literature to date. A focused search strategy was used to review literature about hazards that fell into each of the five aforementioned domains. While some hazards that were documented were clear, such as exposure to influenza because of close contact with patients (biological/infectious), or exposure to hazardous drugs (chemical), literature was limited. The majority of the literature we reviewed fell into the domain of psychosocial hazards and centered on stress from workplace organization issues (such as mandatory overtime, lack of managerial support, and feeling rushed). More research is needed to understand which hazards NAs identify as most concerning and tailored interventions are needed for risk mitigation. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Women’s Health and the Work Environment)
662 KiB  
Review
Metal Concentrations in Newcomer Women and Environmental Exposures: A Scoping Review
by Shirley X. Chen, Clare L. S. Wiseman, Dolon Chakravartty and Donald C. Cole
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2017, 14(3), 277; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ijerph14030277 - 08 Mar 2017
Cited by 9 | Viewed by 4596
Abstract
Newcomer women from developing countries are recognized to be at risk for elevated exposures to environmental contaminants and associated negative health effects. As such, data on exposure sources and contaminant body burden concentrations is critical in the development of effective public health policies [...] Read more.
Newcomer women from developing countries are recognized to be at risk for elevated exposures to environmental contaminants and associated negative health effects. As such, data on exposure sources and contaminant body burden concentrations is critical in the development of effective public health policies and interventions in support of newcomer health. We conducted a scoping review to gather evidence on important toxic metals of health concern, lead (Pb), mercury (Hg) and cadmium (Cd), and their concentrations and potential exposure sources among newcomer women. An initial 420 articles were identified through the databases MEDLINE, EMBASE and Scopus, many reporting by ethnicity rather than newcomer/immigrant status. Several articles reported metal concentrations for other biomarkers but did not include blood, nor stratify results. From the remainder, we selected a total of 10 articles for full textual review, which reported blood Pb, Hg or Cd levels for newcomer women and/or stratified blood metal results according to foreign birth or country of origin. Three of the articles reported higher Pb, Hg and Cd concentrations in newcomer women compared to their native-borne counterparts. Exposures identified as contributing to elevated Pb, Hg and Cd blood concentrations included: pica behaviour, the use of lead-glazed cookware or eye cosmetics, and fish/shellfish consumption. The review revealed a limited availability of data on metal body burden concentrations, exposure sources and routes among newcomer women specifically. More research is needed to better understand the extent to which newcomer women are disproportionately at risk of elevated metal exposures due to either country of origin or current exposures and to inform relevant, multi-national risk management strategies. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Women’s Health and the Work Environment)
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