Women's Occupational Health: International Perspectives

Occupational cancer among women: Where have we been and where are we going?

“…These studies largely occurred before the dramatic changes in the participation of women in the workplace or the patterns of employment of women in developing countries. Since then, the proportion of women in the paid workforce, the amounts and types of paid and unpaid labor, the distribution of women by economy sector, the scale of the workplaces, the allowable exposure levels in the workplace, and implementation of workplace exposure controls have changed over time and vary internationally [Stellman and Lucas, 2000]. All of these factors could affect the proportion of cancer due to occupational exposures among women.…”

“…The distribution of women's employment by economic sector varies internationally. In the US and the United Kingdom, employment is predominantly in the service industry (69% and 85%, respectively), while manufacturing and agriculture dominate in other parts of the world [Stellman and Lucas, 2000]. Recent epidemiologic studies found that over 90% of women employed in Lodz, Poland, 60% of women employed in Warsaw, Poland, and 60% of women in Shanghai, China work in manufacturing [WongHo Chow, personal communication, 2002] (Table VI).…”

“…The international variation in the percent of women employed in agriculture is large, ranging from as low as 8% in developed countries to 53% in sub-Saharan Africa (Table VII) [Stellman and Lucas, 2000]. Women produce 60-80% of the basic foodstuffs in sub-Saharan Africa [Alli, 1999;London et al, 2002].…”

“…There is serious undercounting of the occupational activities of women in developing country [United Nations, 1995;Stellman and Lucas, 2000]. As much as 35% of the workforce is estimated to be in the informal labor force in countries such as Mali, Honduras, and Burundi (REF) and about 65% of economically active women in Indonesia are in the informal sector [Stellman and Lucas, 2000].…”

“…As much as 35% of the workforce is estimated to be in the informal labor force in countries such as Mali, Honduras, and Burundi (REF) and about 65% of economically active women in Indonesia are in the informal sector [Stellman and Lucas, 2000]. The United Nations estimates that women's unpaid domestic labor accounts for 40% of gross national product worldwide and up to 66% in developing countries [United Nations, 1995].…”