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This paper examines change and diversity in the lives of Pakistani and Bangladeshi women using qualitative interviews based in Oldham and secondary analysis of the Fourth National Ethnic Minority Survey. There was clear evidence of change across generations. Most of the older women had not been born in the UK and many were limited in their ability to speak English. This, together with a lack of formal qualifications, posed a considerable barrier to seeking paid work outside the home. In addition, many women had heavy family responsibilities that were compounded by material hardship. However, younger women who had been educated in the UK and had no language barrier saw paid work as a means to independence and self-esteem. Multivariate models showed that women with higher qualifications were much more likely to be economically active than women without qualifications or with overseas qualifications. However, the presence of dependent children had a strong negative effect. These factors also influenced the economic activity of white women but with much smaller differentials. Even with higher-level qualifications, Pakistani and Bangladeshi women experience considerable barriers to employment and have high levels of unemployment. Whilst most women subscribed strongly to the centrality of the family, it is clear that the majority will follow very different routes through the life-course from their mothers. Adherence to the lslamic faith was not, of itself, seen as a deterrent to women's participation in the labour market.

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Paid employment and women's health: a benefit or a source of role strain?Abstract Two contrasting theories of the relationship between paid employment and women's health are examined using data from the 1975 and 1976 General Household Survey. The 'role accumulation' hypothesis, which proposes that paid employment has beneficial effects on health, was supported for women without children, and for women over 40 with children. However, the causal ordering is unclear, for there is evidence that ill-health reduces the likelihood of labour-force participation especially among women over 40. When those reporting chronic illness are excluded, the association between being a housewife and short-term illness largely disappears. The contrasting hypothesis, that for married women with children the strain of occupying multiple roles leads to poorer health, was also supported, but only for women under 40 who work full-time and have children. These women reported higher levels of illness, although this was less clear among women working in professional and managerial jobs. It is concluded that full-time work for young mothers may be detrimental for their health unless there are adquate financial resources to help with the burden of maintaining the multiple roles of housewife, mother and employee, or until the sexual division of labour in the home changes.