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A. Besoain-Saldaña1,2, J. Rebolledo Sanhueza1,2, G. Agurto Flores1, T. Alarcón Muñoz1
1Universidad de Chile, Department of Physical Therapy, Santiago, Chile, 2Universidad de Chile, Núcleo Desarrollo Inclusivo, Santiago, Chile
Background: Physiotherapy and occupational health has been identified as complementary areas for integral and preventive approaches. On the one hand, informality has been defined as employment with low or null social protection, without work regulations and with low monetary support in case of illness. High vulnerability has been identified in informal work and working conditions. On the other hand, Gender is a social construction and has been related to more precarious health conditions, specially related to incomes, workload, double presence, training and preventive strategies.
Rehabilitation and preventive occupational therapy have incorporated social determinant of health perspective in their strategies, providing a broad understanding of health conditions and needs to be accomplished in rehabilitation and work inclusion. Therefore, incorporation of gender analysis in quality of life, health status and work conditions characteristics analysis, could provide new findings in health needs and role of physiotherapy of informal workers.
Rehabilitation and preventive occupational therapy have incorporated social determinant of health perspective in their strategies, providing a broad understanding of health conditions and needs to be accomplished in rehabilitation and work inclusion. Therefore, incorporation of gender analysis in quality of life, health status and work conditions characteristics analysis, could provide new findings in health needs and role of physiotherapy of informal workers.
Purpose: The aim of this study was to identify gender gaps in the conditions of employment, work and quality of life of informal workers in chilean informal workers
Methods: A cross-sectional study was performed with eighty workers, who answered the Chilean National Survey of Employment, Work and Health Conditions (ENETS) and the SF-36 Health Questionnaire for data collection. A descriptive analysis was carried out to determine the population characteristics and the Chi-square test was used to study correlations between each of the variables with gender. Convenience sampling was performed.
Results: Regarding whether the company was concerned about their health and safety, there is high heterogeneity in their results, so no clear trend was observed despite finding a significant association (p = 0.034). Specifically, differences were only identified between 33.3% of women and 10.0% of men, who declared that "sometimes" the company cared about their health and safety.
The variable “felt discouraged and sad” presented significant differences (p = 0.014), the results of which were unfavorable for women, who in 53.3% perceived that almost all or a little of the time they felt discouraged or sad , unlike 26.0% of the male population.
The variable “felt discouraged and sad” presented significant differences (p = 0.014), the results of which were unfavorable for women, who in 53.3% perceived that almost all or a little of the time they felt discouraged or sad , unlike 26.0% of the male population.
Conclusion(s): Regarding whether the company was concerned about their health and safety, there is high heterogeneity in their results, so no clear trend was observed despite finding a significant association (p = 0.034). Specifically, differences were only identified between 33.3% of women and 10.0% of men, who declared that "sometimes" the company cared about their health and safety.
The variable “felt discouraged and sad” presented significant differences (p = 0.014), the results of which were unfavorable for women, who in 53.3% perceived that almost all or a little of the time they felt discouraged or sad , unlike 26.0% of the male population. 33.3% of women rated the statement "I feel that my health is excellent" as "almost always false or definitely false".
The variable “felt discouraged and sad” presented significant differences (p = 0.014), the results of which were unfavorable for women, who in 53.3% perceived that almost all or a little of the time they felt discouraged or sad , unlike 26.0% of the male population. 33.3% of women rated the statement "I feel that my health is excellent" as "almost always false or definitely false".
Implications: Understanding social determinants of health in preventive and primary health care have been shown potential for preventive and social security strategies, including physiotherapy in clinical social public policies areas. Informal workers are exposed to high levels of work conditions and problems.
Funding, acknowledgements: We acknowledge to workers from Vega Central due to the time expended and support provided during this research.
Keywords: Occupational Health., Informal Sector, Equity
Topic: Occupational health & ergonomics
Did this work require ethics approval? Yes
Institution: Universidad de Chile
Committee: Comité de Ética de Investigación en Seres Humanos, Facultad de Medicina
Ethics number: 80-2017
All authors, affiliations and abstracts have been published as submitted.
