G
ender
e
quality
, W
ork
and
H
ealtH
: a r
evieW
of
tHe
e
vidence
and informal sector jobs. In addition, some worksite conditions, not in
themselves hazardous, interact with biological or social characteristics
to produce risks for specific populations. For example, a tool handle
can be too large for the hands of smaller people (such as many women)
and work hours can be too unpredictable for people responsible for
child care (primarily women).
Therefore, it is hard to be precise about the origin of male/female
differences in the prevalence of some diseases (Table 1).
Table 1. Relative risk of some musculoskeletal disorders
(with 95% confidence interval) in women compared to men
Reference
Population
Disorder
Relative risk
odds ratio or prevalence ratio and
confidence interval or probability
Chiang et al., 1993
Fish processing
Carpal tunnel
workers
syndrome
2.6 (1.3-5.2)
2
Park et al., 1992
Automobile
Medically treated
manufacturing
carpal tunnel
workers
syndrome
2.3 (1.6-3.3)
Bergqvist et al.,
Workers in routinized
Any arm or hand
1995
visual display unit work
diagnosis (symptoms
and signs)
5.2 (1.2-22.8)
3
Silverstein et al.,
Workers in seven
Carpal tunnel
1987
manufacturing facilities
syndrome
(symptoms and signs) 1.2 (0.3-4.7)
Armstrong et al.,
Workers in seven
Hand or wrist
1987
manufacturing facilities
tendinitis
(symptoms and signs) 4.3 (p<0.05)
4
2 Adjusted for job title or ergonomic exposure, at minimum, and for age and other factors, where possible, by stratified or
multivariate analysis.
3 Odds ratio or prevalence ratio (and confidence interval or probability).
4 Only the p value and not the confidence interval was given in this study.
Source: Reprinted, with permission from Elsevier, from Work-related musculoskeletal disorders: Is there a gender differential, and if so, what
does it mean?, 474-92, 2000.