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Work and Occupational Health: Focus on Gender, Youth and New Labor Inequalities

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 (30 September 2024) | Viewed by 10694

Special Issue Editors


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Guest Editor
Department of Psychology, University of Oviedo, 33003 Oviedo, Spain
Interests: psychosocial risk factors; psychological and social well-being; equality and discrimination at work; family-work conciliation; work-life balance; precarious employment/work; unemployment effects of atypical (non-standard) forms of employment; mental health at work; labor poverty and poor workers; inclusion and social exclusion; quality of work life; diversity and gender in the workplace; globalization and the future of work; decent work; occupational safety and health
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Guest Editor
Department of Psychology, University of Oviedo, 33003 Oviedo, Spain
Interests: social psychology; data analysis; work and organizational psychology; gender studies; mental health

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Psychology, University of Oviedo, 33003 Oviedo, Spain
Interests: social psychology; work and organizational psychology; precarious work; gig economy; social inclusion; income policies

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The International Labor Organization recognizes that the current labor context generates structural inequalities that disproportionately impact those of a marginalized ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, etc. The structural nature of this inequality affects well-being, mental and physical health, and quality of life. These effects are not only observable in individuals, but also in terms of relational and social well-being, coexistence, or social exclusion of the general population. 

This Special Issue aims to attract multidisciplinary researchers analyzing the causes and effects of these inequalities, especially those related to new and upcoming labor dynamics. It will also cover concepts that allow us to anticipate the future of labor dynamics. Gender labor gaps, the care economy, and youth labor discrimination are of particular interest, as is the labor context of the gig economy, underemployment, or zero-hour contracting. It will also explore concepts such as four-day working weeks, universal basic income and its effects on employment, work–life balance policies and proposals, and the analysis and prevention of different forms of labor discrimination, harassment, or ageism. 

Potential topics include (but are not limited to):

  • New conditions of labor precariousness and their impact on health.
  • Gender labor gap.
  • Gig Economy.
  • Youth, careers, and well-being.
  • Ageism and technological competence discrimination.
  • Structural labor discrimination.
  • Promotion of occupational mental health.
  • Suicide and working conditions.
  • Care economy.
  • LGBTIQ+ labor discrimination.
  • New forms of labor relations and their impact on well-being: 4-day working weeks, teleworking, and working on platforms.

Prof. Dr. Esteban Agulló-Tomás
Dr. Sara Menéndez-Espina
Prof. Dr. José Antonio Llosa
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.

Keywords

  • precarious work
  • gender gap
  • youth labor
  • labor discrimination
  • work–life balance
  • social inclusion
  • mental health
  • gig economy

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Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

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18 pages, 611 KiB  
Article
Paid Domestic Work and Depressive Symptoms in Mexico: Results of a National Health Survey
by Germán Guerra, Amado D. Quezada-Sánchez, Claudine Burton-Jeangros, Arturo Júarez-García, Antoine Flahault and Nelly Salgado de Snyder
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2024, 21(12), 1566; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph21121566 - 26 Nov 2024
Viewed by 546
Abstract
Paid domestic work (PDW) is an important source of employment for the global female workforce. It is frequently performed under precarious working conditions and occupational risks that are often associated with depressive symptoms (DSs). Although 10% (2.2 million) of Mexican working women are [...] Read more.
Paid domestic work (PDW) is an important source of employment for the global female workforce. It is frequently performed under precarious working conditions and occupational risks that are often associated with depressive symptoms (DSs). Although 10% (2.2 million) of Mexican working women are paid domestic workers (PDWs), their mental health has remained understudied. This article analyzes the occurrence and factors associated with DSs in a sample of Mexican workers segmented into six workforce groups, including PDWs. A three-stage statistical analysis was performed on national health survey data from Mexico (ENSANUT 2012): 1. Tabulation of inferential statistics; 2. Multiple logistic regression modeling of DSs; 3. Postestimation of DSs prevalence. Our findings suggest a context of social disadvantages based on gender, education, and labor market segregation that manifests in PDWs having the highest adjusted prevalence of DSs (14.1%, 95%CI = 9.7–18.4). Significant differences in prevalence were observed when compared with other workforce groups, such as formal employees. Among working women, after adjusting for relevant covariates, the odds of DSs were higher among PDWs as compared with formal employees (OR = 1.65, 95%CI = 1.04–2.61). Ongoing efforts for PDW formalization should be maintained in Mexico as an employment policy and mechanism to achieve PDWs’ social well-being and mental health. Full article
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9 pages, 366 KiB  
Article
Psychosocial Risk in COVID Context: The Impact of Economic Factors and Labour Protection Policy (ERTEs) in Spain
by Enrique Iglesias Martínez, Pablo Yáñez Legaspi, Esteban Agulló-Tomás and José Antonio Llosa
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2023, 20(3), 1824; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20031824 - 19 Jan 2023
Viewed by 2699
Abstract
The pandemic and the current situation have caused working poverty and therefore social risk, which implies a deterioration in well-being, affecting mental health and anxiety. In this context, the employment situation tends to be regarded ignoring previous social differences, economic and mental components, [...] Read more.
The pandemic and the current situation have caused working poverty and therefore social risk, which implies a deterioration in well-being, affecting mental health and anxiety. In this context, the employment situation tends to be regarded ignoring previous social differences, economic and mental components, which should be considered when establishing priorities to program a global action of various synergistic elements. The study involved 4686 people (3500 women and 1186 men). They all completed a questionnaire that evaluated their anxiety, employment situation, income, changes of working status, and fears of becoming infected at the workplace. The results show the need to take into account the social determinants of mental health in vulnerable groups due to socioeconomic factors, job changes, contractual changes, age, or gender, considering the need to generate strategies to manage mental health and deal with it at a structural level, therefore displacing individual focus policies and interventions. An example of these policies are ERTEs (record of temporary employment regulation), constituting a perceived measure of protection and acting as an effective buffer against the economic crisis, thus reducing anxiety. Full article
14 pages, 325 KiB  
Article
Exploring the Implementation of Workplace-Focused Primary Prevention Efforts to Reduce Family Violence in a Regional City: The Need for Clarity, Capacity, and Communication
by Caroline Sarpy, Heidi Shukralla, Heath Greville and Sandra C. Thompson
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(24), 16703; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph192416703 - 13 Dec 2022
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1989
Abstract
In response to the high burden of family and domestic violence (FDV), The Australian National Plan to End Violence Against Women and Children has established that primary prevention measures are necessary to reduce FDV’s harmful impacts on health. The Community, Respect, and Equality [...] Read more.
In response to the high burden of family and domestic violence (FDV), The Australian National Plan to End Violence Against Women and Children has established that primary prevention measures are necessary to reduce FDV’s harmful impacts on health. The Community, Respect, and Equality (CRE) project is a primary prevention initiative aimed towards changing harmful social norms and practices that enable FDV in Geraldton, Western Australia. Organizations affiliated with the CRE are required to promote gender equality and a respectful work environment. However, there is a gap in the literature regarding the impact and effectiveness of such interventions, especially in rural/regional areas. As such, this study served to evaluate the project’s effectiveness in a CRE-certified workspace, a local non-profit social services provider. Investigators conducted interviews to learn how the organization had implemented the CRE, and whether the CRE had had an impact on social norms and practices within the work environment. Findings indicated that the project had largely failed to permeate workplace culture due to a lack of effective promotion, low perceived benefits, and low resources. Future interventions must take persuasive measures, even for organizations perceived to be receptive to change. Full article

Other

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19 pages, 988 KiB  
Systematic Review
Women’s Health and Working Life: A Scoping Review
by Marianne Gjellestad, Kristin Haraldstad, Heidi Enehaug and Migle Helmersen
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2023, 20(2), 1080; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20021080 - 7 Jan 2023
Cited by 7 | Viewed by 4605
Abstract
Women’s health matters for participation in working life. The objective of this study was to explore female physiology in a work–life context and to investigate possible associations between women’s health, sickness absence and work ability. A scoping review was conducted to develop a [...] Read more.
Women’s health matters for participation in working life. The objective of this study was to explore female physiology in a work–life context and to investigate possible associations between women’s health, sickness absence and work ability. A scoping review was conducted to develop a systematic overview of the current research and to identify knowledge gaps. The search strategy was developed through a population, concept and context (PCC) model, and three areas of women’s health were identified for investigation in the context of work. A total of 5798 articles were screened by title and abstract and 274 articles were screened by full text; 130 articles were included in the review. The material included research from 19 countries; the majority of the studies used quantitative methods. The results showed an impact on the occupational setting and an association between sickness absence, work ability and all three areas of women’s health, but a holistic and overall perspective on female biology in the work context is missing. This review calls for more knowledge on health and work and possible gender differences in this regard. Women’s health and working life involve a complex connection that has the potential to develop new knowledge. Full article
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