Contents include: plan of study and layout of report; estimated risks of symptoms in wool textile workers in relation to inspirable-dust concentration; lung functional and chest radiographic effects of wool dust exposure in textile workers; ability of wool-dusts to cause pulmonary inflammation in rats, and immunological responses in mice; further characterization of respiratory illnesses related to wool mill dust.

In order to study the effects of progress in industrialization and urbanization on societies and economy, analyses were performed on the northern England in the period of the Industrial Revolution. The rapid expansion of the city of Leeds in the 1780`s and on had brought about the increase in employment opportunities in the suburban farming villages, as well as drop in matrimonial age in agricultural and coal mine workers, and the rapid population increase. Housing conditions for those workers who had flown into the city from agricultural villages in a large number were of very poor quality, and their living standard was low. More than half of the patients visiting the charity hospital in Leeds City came from the urban area, with industrial accidents such as injuries in young workers noticed remarkably high. Many women were included in them, from which the progress in mechanization of the textile industry in Leeds and its surrounding areas can well be imagined. The attributes of households, families, and population were divided into diverse structures and hierarchies, according to the residential construction form and work income earner rates in family constituting members were also various. The development urbanization and industrialization had given diversified effects on households, families, population, and life cycles in city dwellers through changes in housing environments. 2 refs., 1 fig., 7 tabs.

In Rajasthan 21,000 workers are engaged in hand processing textile industries (process gray/raw cotton cloth). They are exposed to hazards of the textile industries besides the harsh conditions of the desert which contributes to adverse effects on their health. To explore the occupational health problems of the desert textile workers and their association with nutrition and environmental factors, investigations were carried-out in two districts, Jodhpur and Pali. Data on occupational disease conditions, environmental factors, nutritional deficiency signs and anemia were collected for a total of 1,240 individuals out of which 845 were textile workers and 395 were comparative group workers of the same age groups. The main disease conditions, i.e. aches (19.4%), respiratory (12.1%) and fever (7.7%), were higher in textile workers than the comparative group. Dyeing group workers suffered the most (25.5%) from aches, significantly higher than the comparative group (11.6%), may be due to a higher percentage of severe anemia, besides physical labour. Printing and bleaching group workers suffered from respiratory problems (15.5%) almost twice as much as the comparative group, possibly due to exposure to fumes of acids and use of chemical dyes. Housing conditions, personal hygiene and education showed negative associations with disease conditions but positive associations with anemia. The study revealed that in the textile industry, disease conditions vary with the categorization of work. The findings suggest the need for implementation of safety measures according to the type of work in textile industries, besides extension of health and nutrition education and welfare programs.   

Introduction: Workers in the cotton processing industries risk developing obstructive respiratory conditions due to prolonged exposure to cotton dust. We noted a tenfold increase in asthma among workers in a Textile Manufacturing Company. We determined the prevalence of respiratory obstructive condi...

Drawing on research from a number of European countries, the contributors to this book present nine detailed studies on women's work spanning 2 centuries and dealing with a variety of work environments. "General Introduction" (Gertjan de Groot, Marlou Schrover) provides an overview of the book's content. "Frames of Reference: Skill, Gender, and New Technology in the Hosiery Industry" (Harriet Bradley) explores the processes that lie behind the devaluation of women's work. "The Creation of a Gendered Division of Labour in the Danish Textile Industry" (Marianne Rostgard) describes how the division of labor once established lived on to become an unquestioned tradition. "Foreign Technology and the Gender Division of Labour in a Dutch Cotton Spinning Mill" (Gertjan de Groot) argues that the gender division of labor was transferred from England to the Netherlands along with the technology. "'The Mysteries of the Typewriter': Technology and Gender in the British Civil Service, 1870-1914" (Meta Zimmeck) draws on the feminist critique of the literature to explore the introduction and spread of typewriting before the First World War. "'A Revolution in the Workplace'? Women's Work in Munitions Factories and Technological Change 1914-1918" (Deborah Thom) examines the theory of dilution and substitution. "Gender and Technological Change in the North Staffordshire Pottery Industry" (Jacqueline Sarsby) examines factors that influenced and altered the sexual division of labor. "Periodization and the Engendering of Technology: The Pottery of Gustavsberg, Sweden, 1880-1980" (Ulla Wikander) seeks to establish general trends and specific periods for changes. "Creating Gender: Technology and Femininity in the Swedish Dairy Industry" (Lena Sommestad) explores how women retained for so long but eventually lost their control over mechanized dairy production. "Cooking Up Women's Work: Women Workers in the Dutch Food Industries 1889-1960" (Marlou Schrover) shows technological change influenced women's work but was seldom the direct reason for the regendering of work. An index is appended. (YLB)

...International Women's Day, a global celebration of the economic, political, and social achievements of women past, present, and...workers, and women are significantly underrepresented in the science, technology, engineering, and mathematics...

This collection of articles on technological change discusses female workers displaced by automation in Canada and Japan; robotics in German automobile manufacturing; union concerns about technology in Europe and Japan; privacy of personal data in Sweden; small business legislation in the United States; and productivity improvement in textile and clothing manufacture. (SK)

Acute changes in ventilatory function during a workshift with exposure to hemp, flax, and cotton dust were measured on Mondays in a group of 61 textile workers, all working on carding machines. In addition, single-breath diffusing capacity (DLCOSB) was measured before dust exposure on Monday in 30 o...

OBJECTIVE: To examine the association between exposure to endotoxins and lung cancer risk by conducting a systematic review and meta-analysis of epidemiologic studies of workers in the cotton textile and agricultural industries; industries known for high exposure levels of endotoxins. METHODS: Risk ...

This paper presents an artificial neural network (ANN) approach for annual electricity consumption in textile Industry in Iran. It is claimed that, due to high fluctuations of energy consumption in textile industries, conventional regression models do not forecast energy consumption correctly and precisely. On the other hand, Iranian textile industries are facing numerous problems, such as lack of liquidity and lack of foreign exchange to import raw materials and spare parts; outdated and ageing machinery because of the impossibility of renovating production lines; rise in wages; and, finally, the inefficiency of the industry. This industry uses about 8.5% of electricity and 6.4% energy of Iran industrial sector and employs about 10.9 % of all workers in manufacturing. Textile industry provides about 5.4% of Iran industries added value. Energy consumption in Iran's textile industry is inefficient, with a huge possibility of improvement. This paper aims to analyze energy demand in the current condition and in the new government's plan. This paper has simulated these models with neural network. The comparison between results of these two models illustrates the effects of this plan on the electricity consumption in textile industry in Iran. Results show that with current electricity price, the most effective parameter on electricity consumption in Iran is added value.

BACKGROUND: Household service work has been largely absent from occupational health studies. We examine the occupational hazards and health effects identified by immigrant women household service workers. METHODS: Exploratory, descriptive study of 46 documented and undocumented immigrant women in ho...

This study was conducted in a typical Egyptian textile plant located in Alexandria. Male workers from all operations (N . 506) were examined and their dust exposures were assessed. Results showed that airborne dust concentrations were very high and that the plant fraction is mostly concentrated in respirable dust. Byssinosis prevailed in 21% of workers in opening and cleaning sections and in 13% in carding and combing rooms, but was found in none of the workers in drawing, twisting, and spinning operations, in only 1.1% in weaving, and in 3.1% of workers in other ''auxiliary'' occupations. The rare prevalence of byssinosis among the latter workers groups was attributed to the workers continuous exposure without fixed weekend interruption, the personal and family history of exposure to cotton, the low proportion of plant materials in dust evolved in related operations, the fine quality of Egyptian cotton, and/or the population characteristics of Egyptian workers. Reduction in FEV 1.0 at the end of the first work shift after absence from work occured more often than byssinosis, which indicates the importance of this test for the early detection of effects of cotton dust exposure. It is suggested that a nationwide study in the cotton textile industry is indicated.

As part of a 1992 survey of both environmental and occupational determinants of health, 973 non-smoking women aged 20-40 years who were employed in three comparable modern Chinese cotton textile mills were given a questionnaire that included questions on standard respiratory history and symptoms. Al...

The effect of the byssinosis controversy on surveillance programs in the cotton textile industry is reviewed. The federally regulated format for industry medical surveillance guarantees neither automatic reduction of cotton dust exposure for high-risk workers nor wage rate retention for workers who are transferred to less dusty job sites. The absence of universal guidelines for worker management, combined with doubt over the severity and prevalence of byssinosis, encourages employers to evaluate medical surveillance programs primarily on the basis of their economic impact. When employers use the programs to control their losses, the potential costs of worker participation are increased. Comparisons with medical surveillance programs in the coal industry suggest that health benefits to workers can be guaranteed in the context of disputes over occupational diseases if industry, labor, and government agencies all participate in program design and operation.

Of the respiratory tract diseases - byssinosis - i.e. the disease diagnosed in textile industry workers has aroused interest and controversies for many years. In Western Europe Countries the USA, Egypt and Pakistan this disease was diagnosed in more than half of the workers employed at cotton processing. Epidemiological data imply that in Eastern and Middle Europe few authors diagnose byssinosis in the population exposed to vegetable dusts. In the Soviet Union, the greatest cotton producer in the world, processing the greatest amounts of this raw material in the textile industry, medical examinations carried out in different centres did not show byssinosis symptoms in textile workers, that would apply to Schilling's criteria. Vegetable dusts inherent in agricultural and food industry largely promote the occurrence of nonspecific respiratory tract diseases. They are diagnosed as chronic bronchitis, which at dusted workstations are the mean cause of sickness absenteeism. The preventive activities aimed at the reduction of hazardous effects of dust upon organism would consist mostly in application of technical measures, i.e. technological processes hermetization and ventilation and only in scarce cases - in the use of good antidust personal protective measures.

Most researchers studying sex work have focused on the risks of sexually transmitted diseases, predominantly HIV, for sex workers, their clients, and subsequent partners. Violence against these women often goes undocumented and unnoticed. Consequently, few researchers have addressed violence against sex workers, and these few have generated limited evidence about the nature of violence from the sex-worker perspective—especially the street sex worker perspective. In this study, we used qualitative methods to explore characteristics of violence against street sex workers and how violence influences personal and societal health risks. The participants were 28 female street sex workers. The data were collected through in-depth interviews with 23 women, one focus group with 5 women, and ...

OBJECTIVES: To determine pattern and predictors for respiratory illnesses and symptoms and lung function among textile workers in Karachi, Pakistan. METHODS: This was a cross-sectional survey of 372 adult male textile workers from the spinning and weaving sections of 15 textile mills from Karachi. Data were collected from November to December 2009 through a structured, pretested questionnaire and spirometry. RESULTS: Prevalence of byssinosis was 10.5%, chronic cough 7.5%, chronic phlegm 12.9%, wheeze with shortness of breath 22.3%, shortness of breath (grade 2) 21%, chest tightness ever 33.3%; whereas, a low prevalence of asthma (4%) was identified in this population. Eight per cent had obstructive, 8% restrictive and 2% mixed pattern of lung function abnormality. After controlling for potential confounders, work in the spinning section predicts frequent wheeze (AOR=2.0; 95% CI 1.1 to 3.5), wheeze with shortness of breath (AOR=1.8; 95% CI 1.0 to 3.4), and obstructive pattern on spirometry (AOR=2.5; 95% CI 1.0 to 6.2). Prolonged duration of work predicts breathlessness grade 1 (AOR=1.8; 95% CI 1.0 to 3.1) and grade 2 (AOR=2.7; 95% CI 1.3 to 5.4), as well as decrements in Forced Expiratory Volume in the first second (FEV(1)) and FEV(1)/Forced Vital Capacity ratio. Lack of education predicts frequent wheeze (AOR=2.0; 95% CI 1.2 to 3.3), and Sindhi ethnicity predicts chest tightness apart from during cold (AOR=2.7; 95% CI 1.1 to 6.6). CONCLUSIONS: This study highlights the burden of respiratory illnesses and symptoms, and a low prevalence of asthma among textile workers in Karachi. Work in the spinning section, lack of education, prolonged duration of work and Sindhi ethnicity, were identified as important risk factors. PMID:23155188

Women constitute about half the work force, and women shift workers warrant special attention given the different physiological needs of women, their reproductive status, and the added burden of family responsibilities. There is increasing evidence that women have greater difficulty adjusting to shift work compared to their male counterparts and that sleep problems may in large part account for this difficulty. The purpose of this article is to review the existing literature to highlight the differential negative impact of shift work on sleep and other health issues in women and as part of a needs assessment to promote research in female shift workers by developing and prioritizing research questions in this field. The literature suggests that women shift workers report poor sleep quality and experience reproductive disturbances, an increased risk of breast cancer, and a greater risk of metabolic and cardiovascular disorders. PMID:19575690

...recyclable paper, cardboard, plastics, rubber, textiles, metals...recyclable paper, cardboard, plastics, rubber, textiles, metals...community, and the existing recycling programs and infrastructure...of recyclable cardboard, plastics, rubber, textiles,...

Quebec's textile industry employs 33,000 workers across 750 factories that handle cotton fibre. It has been recognized that workers in the textile industry are at risk for pulmonary diseases resulting from endotoxins present in the ambient air of textile plants. This project examined the presence of airborne endotoxins at different stages of cotton fibre processing in four Quebec factories. The objective was to identify the factors that affect the levels of endotoxins. In each factory, ambient air, water and dust samples were analyzed 3 times for all the different processing stages. Despite significant variability, certain processes proved to be major generators of endotoxins. The study suggested an effective tracking method to demonstrate a relationship between endotoxin levels in the air, in materials or in the water of air washers. The results of the tracking method can be used to identify conditions and techniques where levels should be controlled. It was also suggested that the levels of endotoxins may be influenced by the ventilation system and the percentage of recirculated air, the humidity in the air and the maintenance of the HVAC system. 25 refs., 8 tabs., 10 figs.

... Lab Info Chemical A–Z Abrin Adamsite Ammonia Arsenic Arsine Barium Benzene Brevetoxin Bromine BZ Carbon monoxide ... Centers Evacuees & Other Affected Persons Volunteers People With Chronic Conditions & Disabilities Response Workers Pet Shelters Pregnant Women ...

Social workers are an integral provider in the statutory support offered to women experiencing domestic violence. This paper uses information obtained from women's personal narratives to examine this social worker–client relationship in situations of domestic violence. Embracing a feminist standpoint epistemology and focusing on the women's experiences, it is evident that many of the women expressed dissatisfaction with the way they were treated by social workers. Threats to remove the children from the home and victim blaming were among the tactics described. The parallel between such reported forms of coercion employed by social workers and those used by the abuser are striking. The findings suggest a lack of a favourable climate to ensure the safety of the woman and...

Lifetime job histories from a population-based, case-control study of gliomas diagnosed among adults in the San Francisco Bay area between August 1991 and April 1994 were evaluated to assess occupational risk factors. Occupational data for 476 cases and 462 controls were analyzed, with adjustment for age, gender, education, and race. Imprecise increased risks were observed for physicians and surgeons (odds ratio (OR) = 3.5, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.7, 17.6), artists (OR = 1.9, 95% CI: 0.5, 6.5), foundry and smelter workers (OR = 2.6, 95% CI: 0.5, 13.1), petroleum and gas workers (OR = 4.9, 95% CI: 0.6, 42.2), and painters (OR = 1.6, 95% CI: 0.5, 4.9). Legal and social service workers, shippers, janitors, motor vehicle operators, and aircraft operators had increased odds ratios only with longer duration of employment. Physicians and surgeons, foundry and smelter workers, petroleum and gas workers, and painters showed increased risk for both astrocytic and nonastrocytic tumors. Artists and firemen had increased risk for astrocytic tumors only, while messengers, textile workers, aircraft operators, and vehicle manufacturing workers showed increased risk only for nonastrocytic tumors. Despite study limitations, including small numbers for many of the occupational groups, a high percentage of proxy respondents among cases, and lack of specific exposure information, associations were observed for several occupations previously reported to be at higher risk for brain tumors generally and gliomas specifically. PMID:11085395

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the reasons for the excess risk of upper limb musculoskeletal disorders among manual workers compared with other workers in a random sample of 2656 French men and women (20-59 years old) participating in a study on the prevalence of work related upper limb disorders conduct...

OBJECTIVES—Because of the rarity of small bowel adenocarcinoma (SBA), little is known about the aetiology of this disease. This study aimed to identify occupational clustering of cases SBA as a systematic approach to new hypotheses on the aetiology of this disease.?METHODS—A European multicentre case-control study was conducted in 1995-7, inclusive. Incident cases aged 35-69 years with SBA (n=168) were recruited before acceptance by a pathologist. Altogether 107 cases and 3915 controls were accepted, of which 79 cases, 579 colon cancer controls, and 2070 population controls were interviewed.?RESULTS—The strongest industrial risk factors for SBA taking account of 10 years' exposure lag were dry cleaning, manufacture of workwear, mixed farming (women), and manufacture of motor vehicles (men). A significantly increased risk of SBA (odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (95% CI)) was found among men employed as building caretakers, OR 6.7 (1.7 to 26.0) and women employed as housekeepers, OR 2.2 (1.1 to 4.9); general farm labourers, OR 4.7 (1.8 to 12.2); dockers, OR 2.9 (1.0 to 8.2); dry cleaners or launderers, OR 4.1 (1.2 to 13.6); and textile workers (sewers or embroiders), OR 2.6 (1.0 to 6.8). For the last four groups, together with welders OR 2.7 (1.1 to 6.6) (men) an exposure-response pattern was found when calculating the ORs for jobs held 1-5 years and >5 years, with never having held the job as reference. The ORs (95% CIs) for 1-5 years and >5 years were 4.3 (0.4 to 44.0) and 3.5 (0.9 to 13.7), 3.0 (0.3 to 26.2) and 4.3 (0.9 to 21.2), 4.6 (0.4 to 48.1) and 11.0 (2.0 to 60.4), 1.3 (0.2 to 11.0) and 5.8 (2.0 to 17.2), and 2.8 (0.3 to 23.8) and 4.6 (1.3 to 16.6), respectively, for each of these occupations. Among welders, people performing semiautomatic arc welding (MIG/MAG) were identified as a high risk group (OR 5.0 (1.3 to 19.6)). ?CONCLUSIONS—This explorative study suggests an increased occurrence of SBA in certain occupations, which needs further evaluation. ???Keywords: small intestine; adenocarcinoma; occupational risk factors PMID:10680313

Abstract The history of domestic service in America in the 19th and 20th centuries provides a lens through which to study the history of race, class, and gender. Yet, scholars have struggled to reconcile the history of household workers with that of workers in more public places like factories and shops. Historians have debated whether domestic workers were capable of collective labor resistance and how the issue of race has shaped the experience of domestic workers. The question of whether and how much domestic work differs from other kinds of labor will remain at the center of scholarship on labor, women, and gender.

In hospitals, women of reproductive age do a range of work tasks, some of which are known to carry potential risks. Tasks such as working with radiation, chemicals, and infectious agents, as well as performing heavy lifting or tasks requiring erratic sleep patterns have been reported to increase the risk of reproductive failures. Our aim was to study pregnancy outcomes in female hospital workers in Denmark. We performed a cohort study of 5976 female hospital workers and used as a reference group 60,890 women employed outside of hospitals. The reproductive health of hospital workers working during pregnancy is comparable to those of non-hospital workers for the majority of reproductive failures studied. However, an increased prevalence of congenital abnormalities was noted in some subgroups of hospital workers, which may indicate that some hospital work still entails fetotoxic hazards.

Abstract This paper studies pertinent materials related to the conservation of textile apparel and textile-related natural resources that appeared in poster campaign communications published during the Second World War in the US. An examination of World War II poster campaign communications conveying the need for conservation efforts and rationing as communicated to consumers infers the historical context of the era. These poster campaign communications asked consumers to utilize fully of limited resources while maintaining a sense of individuality and trend-setting creativity and fashion. World War II shortages and allocations influenced fashion innovations in women's apparel in the US. This paper provides a retrospective examination of innovative trends and the various conservation theme...

Heart related ailments have been a major cause for deaths in both men and women in United States. Since 1985, more women than men have died due to cardiac or cardiovascular ailments for reasons that are not well understood as yet. Lack of a deterministic understanding of this phenomenon makes continuous real time monitoring of cardiovascular health the best approach for both early detection of pathophysiological changes and events indicative of chronic cardiovascular diseases in women. This approach requires sensor systems to be seamlessly mounted on day to day clothing for women. With this application in focus, this paper describes a e-bra platform for sensors towards heart rate monitoring. The sensors, nanomaterial or textile based dry electrodes, capture the heart activity signals in form Electrocardiograph (ECG) and relay it to a compact textile mountable amplifier-wireless transmitter module for relay to a smart phone. The ECG signal, acquired on the smart phone, can be transmitted to the cyber space for post processing. As an example, the paper discusses the heart rate estimation and heart rate variability. The data flow from sensor to smart phone to server (cyber infrastructure) has been discussed. The cyber infrastructure based signal post processing offers an opportunity for automated emergency response that can be initiated from the server or the smartphone itself. Detailed protocols for both the scenarios have been presented and their relevance to the present emergency healthcare response system has been discussed.

Under the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 and the Federal Mine Safety and Health Amendments Act of 1977, the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) conducted intramural and extramural research designed to improve the environment of the American worker. Projects dealt with the following program areas: Occupational lung disease in granite workers, poultry workers, semiconductor industry, cancer risk, byssinosis, radiation exposure, phosgene, lung clearance, textile workers, mineral exposure, hyperresponsiveness to ozone, coal workers respiratory disease, and immune responsiveness to chlorine; musculoskeletal injuries, back pain, lifting techniques, and grip strength; occupational cancers, traumatic injuries, disorders of reproduction, neurotoxic disorders, noise induced hearing loss, dermatologic conditions, psychological disorders, engineering control systems, respiratory research, and other occupational concerns, human metabolism of halothane, chromium toxicity, poison centers, polyimide sorbents, plasma proteins, and isocyanates. The report also included listings of grants active during fiscal year 1988, grant awards by program area, grant awards by region and state, grant number index, principal investigator index, and a grantee institution index.

Abstract Aim:- Fibromyalgia (FM) is characterized by chronic widespread pain, fatigue, reduced sleep quality and multiple tender points. A recent population study from Turkey found the prevalence of FM as 3.6%. A prevalence study among workers has not yet been performed. We performed a prevalence survey among working population in the city of Denizli in Turkey. Methods:- The field survey was done in two stages. In the first stage 655 (523 female, 132 male) textile workers from four factories were asked to fill a screening questionnaire. In the next stage, participants who had widespread pain were examined by an experienced rheumatologist. Patients who had 11 tender points according to ACR 1990 FM classification criteria were diagnosed as FM syndrome and later a detailed clinical and labora...

Inferior labor conditions in developing countries have raised Western customers’ awareness of sweatshops. Developing countries’ suppliers are facing growing pressure from Western clients on ethical issues associated with the production of low-cost goods at the expense of worker health, safety, and welfare. Inferior working conditions not only adversely affect worker well-being, but also negatively impact performance and productivity, which is detrimental to the entire supply chain in the long-run. In this paper, we consider the case of Xintang International Jeans and Textile City, the largest manufacturing base of jeans in China, which sought to shed its sweatshop image. Working closely with the administration of this manufacturing base, we applied operations research techn...

Social support is critical for women dealing with intimate partner violence (IPV).When support from their informal sources, such as family, friends, and neighbours, is limited, women tend to access services provided by health professionals, social workers, and settlement workers. In this qualitative descriptive study, community leaders who were also first-generation immigrants describe the complexities of immigrant women's access to and use of formal supports to deal with IPV in Canada.The findings show that a number of factors negatively shape the experiences of these women: lack of familiarity with services, inappropriate services and intervention strategies, lack of culturally and linguistically appropriate services, lack of portability and coordination of services, confidentiality concerns, and discriminatory and racist practices embedded in services and service delivery. In order to improve care for women dealing with IPV in the post-migration context, health professionals must collaborate with social workers and settlement workers to address structural barriers that limit women's access to and use of formal social support. PMID:19831055

The authors examined the associations of shiftwork with overweight and abdominal obesity through a cross-sectional study of 1206 employees 18 to 50 yrs of age who were working on a production line in a poultry processing plant. Night-shift workers (n == 800) were considered exposed, whereas day shiftworkers (n == 406) were considered nonexposed. Overweight was defined as a body mass index ?25 kg//m2 and abdominal obesity as a waist circumference ?88 cm in women and ?102 cm in men. The mean age of the workers was 30.5 yrs (standard deviation == 8.7 yrs), and 65.2%% were women. Nightshift workers compared to dayshift workers showed higher prevalences of overweight (42.2%% vs. 34.3%%; p == .020) and abdominal obesity (24.9%% vs. 19.5%%; p == .037). After adjusting for sociodemographi...

A brief, vivid portrait of the human rights conditions for women in Asia was presented: "kapit sa patalim" or utter despair, urban migration, export processing zones, tourism and prostitution, political repression, and military sexual slavery. Advocates of women's human rights for Asian women must contend with patriarchal and male-dominated systems that oppress and exploit women to a much greater extent than men. Liberation from these systems and the domination and exploitation by wealthier nations must be a goal of a new economic world order. Unjust and repressive structures must be destroyed, and equitable distribution of wealth and democracy and popular initiatives promoted. The status of women must be raised to coequal status with men. The most important objective of human rights advocates should be the empowerment of women at the individual, community, national, regional, and international level. The Asian Women's Human Rights Council was established as an addition to 3 already operating regional commissions of women's organizations. The aim was not just to describe women as victims, but to pressure development activity to account for women's human rights. Sex tribunals have been scheduled between 1993 and 1994 to address the following issues: 1) sex trafficking (Japan, May 1993); 2) violence against women (Pakistan, December 1993); 3) militarism, environment, and violence against women (Korea, March 1994); 4) crimes of development against women in Asia (India); 5) religion and violence against women (Malaysia, 1994); and 6) indigenous women (December 1994). Women were victims when Filipino domestic workers were stranded and raped in Iraq during the chaos of war, when girls from landless peasant families migrated near Clark Air Force Base to earn a living as prostitutes for US servicemen, when women were forced to work 36-hour shifts in foreign-owned garment factories in Bataan, when women migrated for work, and when women were abused and battered in Bangladesh and India. Many other examples of abuse were indicated in the discussion. PMID:12345217

To facilitate better understanding of the environment and power structures in which sex work in Vietnam takes place, this study examined the sex workers' social and economic lives, their working environment, social relationships and presentation of self in everyday social contacts and interactions. Thirty in-depth interviews and 14 focus groups were conducted with street-based and venue-based sex workers in the cities of Da Nang and Hanoi. Results show that sex workers live and work within a complex system involving multiple relationships. In any of these relations, women have limited power to protect their personal security and secure payment for services rendered. Economic hardship is a major problem facing street-level sex workers and contributes to unsafe sexual practices. Venue-based sex workers worry less about economic hardships as such, but frequently incur gambling debts. Women also reported incidents of abuse and experiences of social stigma. Although many women exhibited a strong desire to leave sex work, they found themselves trapped in the sex industry by the lack of alternative employment options. This study provides evidence that socio-psychological factors must be addressed along with risky behaviours to promote women's well-being and social integration. PMID:17963096

Despite the continued importance of discrimination for racial labor market inequality, little research explores the process by which workers name potentially negative experiences as race discrimination. Drawing on the legal consciousness literature and organizational approaches to employment discrimination, we assess the effect of social status, job characteristics, and workplace context on the likelihood that workers perceive race discrimination at work. Analyzing data from the Multi-City Study of Urban Inequality, we find that ascriptive status is associated with perceptions of discrimination, with African Americans, Hispanics, and women more likely to perceive racial discrimination, net of job and organizational controls. Results also suggest that workers with a greater sense of entitle...

Women’s employment in Japan has increased substantially in recent decades, however little large scale research has been done on the impact of various types of working conditions on women’s health. The aim of this study was to assess the menstrual cycle and menstrual pain problems of female workers and to investigate the factors that relate to them. The questionnaire was distributed to 8,150 women and 2,166 responded (26.6%). An anonymous self-administered questionnaire was used to get information about demographics, menstrual cycle status, the degree of menstrual pain, and employment and environmental factors. Irregular cycle menstruation was experienced in 17.1% of responded workers. We discovered the relationship between irregular menstrual cycles and stress, smell of cigarettes, age and smoking habits. Some degree of menstrual pain was experienced in 77.6% of responded workers. This study showed the relationship between menstrual pain and stress, high temperature and humidity, age, BMI, and number of births. In conclusion, we found that stress is thought to be an important factor related with menstrual cycle irregularities and menstrual pain among Japanese female workers.   

With the aging of the world's population comes the rising need for qualified direct long-term-care (DLTC) workers (i.e., those who provide personal care to frail and disabled older adults). Developed nations are increasingly turning to immigrant women to fill these needs. In this article, we examine the impact of three global trends--population aging, globalization, and women's migration--on the supply and demand for DLTC workers in the United States. Following an overview of these trends, we identify three areas with embedded social justice issues that are shaping the DLTC workforce in the United States, with a specific focus on immigrant workers in these settings. These include world poverty and economic inequalities, the feminization and colorization of labor (especially in long-term care), and empowerment and women's rights. We conclude with a discussion of the contradictory effects that both population aging and globalization have on immigrant women, source countries, and the long-term-care workforce in the United States. We raise a number of policy, practice, and research implications and questions. For policy makers and long-term-care administrators in receiver nations such as the United States, the meeting of DLTC worker needs with immigrants may result in greater access to needed employees but also in the continued devaluation of eldercare as a profession. Source (supply) nations must balance the real and potential economic benefits of remittances from women who migrate for labor with the negative consequences of disrupting family care traditions and draining the long-term-care workforce of those countries.

Abstract in portuguese O artigo, apresentado anteriormente como conferência proferida em concurso, trata dos usos da antropologia social do trabalho no momento em que grande número de grupos de trabalhadores, numa escala internacional, é atravessado por transformações atingindo identidades coletivas anteriormente construídas. Argumenta-se que, se a memória coletiva é um instrumento para a transformação social, certas grandes transformações também estimulam a demanda premente por um (more) a memória objetivada e transmissível. Além disso, a memória, ela própria, transforma-se ao longo do tempo de acordo com as necessidades e as disputas do presente, podendo tornar-se, em certas circunstâncias, um elemento de coesão ou, inversamente, um campo de novos conflitos sociais. Procura-se mostrar que as especificidades históricas dos grupos de trabalhadores como os apresentados no texto podem ser estratégicas para o avanço do conhecimento, ao se chamar a atenção para certas configurações de vontades coletivas e de imponderáveis da vida real na escala de desenvolvimentos históricos imprevistos. Por um lado, são comparados operários industriais do açúcar e, por outro, operários e operárias têxteis, segundo suas diferentes concepções de história. Mostra-se ainda como uma etnografia de longa duração com estes últimos operários e operárias pode ser apropriada por eles na construção de uma experiência de antropologia visual. Abstract in english The present article was originally presented as part of a class taught for an employment interview. It deals with the uses of the social anthropology of work at a moment in which a large number of workers, on an international level, are being rocked by ttransformations of their previously constructed collective identities. I argue that collective memory is an instrument for social transformation and that certain large transformations stimulate the demand for an objectifie (more) d and transmittable memory. I also argue that memory itself changes over time in accordance with the demands of present-day disputes, becoming in certain circumstances and cohesive element or - inversely - an element that generates new social conflicts. I seek to show that the historical specificities of the workers' groups presented in the text can be understood as strategic for the advancement of knowledge by calling attention to certain configurations of collective will and of the impoderable facts of real life at the level of unforseen histgorical developments. Here I compare industrial workers in the sugar industry with textile workers, according to their differing conceptions of history. I show how an ethnography of the longue dureé of textile workers can be appropriated by the workers themsselves via the construction of a visual anthropological experiment.

A paper on "Violence against Women Migrant Workers in Thailand" will show the situation of women migrant workers in Thailand, why they have to come to Thailand, what kind of job they do, how they are abused and exploited by employer in many types of violence and how the Thai government manages to solve the problems and assist them. The term or definition of "violence against women-VAW" and "discrimination against women" is provided and based on the definition stated in the Declaration on the Elimination of Violence Against Women and the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW). Readers will see that violence against women is a form of discrimination committed on a basis of sex. In other words, VAW is a clear violation of women's inherent human rights including the rights to life, liberty, and security of person, equality, equal protection under the law and freedom from all forms of discrimination. More than one hundred thousands of women illegal migrant workers work in Thailand. They come from countries in the Mekong Sub-region namely Myanmar Lao PDR, Cambodia, Vietnam and China (Yunnan province). As they come illegally and have low level of education and working skills, they are vulnerable to exploitation, abuse or face violence. In general, they work in small factories, domestic work and restaurant. They are forced begging, forced prostitution or work in a slavery-like condition. Root causes of illegal migration and VAW are interrelated and occur in both sending and receiving countries of migrant workers. Poverty, demand and supply sides of labor, level of education, no knowledge of their own rights, impact of capitalism and gender issues, are mentioned as original factors of migration and VAW. The Thai government has national policy, plan, instrument and measures to cope with in- migration of illegal workers. Not only government agencies are active to solve the problems and assist the women migrant workers, but also non-government and international organizations as well as the UN agencies are working seriously to assist them and protect their rights. PMID:21218599

Women in development refers to the needs and problems of women in developing countries and the responsibility of industrialized countries to ensure that aid programs serve the best interests of these women. A concern of adult educators is the relationship between adult education and the challenges facing women in the development of their countries. In addition, men and women in the United States must be educated as to ways in which they can be of optimal assistance. Illiteracy and lack of education and training of women contribute to a vicious cycle of underdevelopment, low productivity, and poor conditions of health and welfare. Girls get less schooling than boys; adult women have some opportunities to go to literacy classes, but have difficulty finding the time and energy. Current international activity relating to literacy promotion puts pressure on governments. Some of the most effective literacy work is done by women in nongovernmental organizations. The literacy movement has progressed from its beginnings as a skill taught in nonformal situations to a phase in which learning was connected to carrying out women's responsibilities. Now women require training for productivity. One obvious training opportunity could be provided by agricultural extension workers. Education of women is also the key factor in the area of family health. The only successful way to help women is to help them work toward their own empowerment. (YLB)

In the current study, we analyze the effect of having a Roma background on women's wages. By utilizing the Athens Area Study random sample (2007-08) drawn from 16 multiethnic municipalities in which Roma live, we estimate that 66.1% of the wage differential between Roma and non-Roma female workers c...

Objectives: To measure prevalence of selected sexually transmitted infections (STI) and HIV among female sex workers (SWs) in the red light area of Surat, India, and to evaluate the performance of STI syndrome guidelines (for general population women in India) in this group against the standard aeti...

Fever during pregnancy can be harmful for the mother and the infant. In resource poor settings health workers have very few field-based tests that help them identify the cause of infection. This study examined the causes of fever in pregnant women using laboratory support that is typically unavailab...

The effect of personal exposure to air pollution on DNA adducts in humans was analyzed in a group (N=30) of women working outdoors (up to 8 h/day) as postal workers or gardeners in the city of Teplice, CZ (Northern Bohemia) where winter. inversions may result in high levels of ai...

AbstractBackground The study examined the prevalence of musculoskeletal pain and discomfort (MSD) among workers engaged in fish processing activities and identified the occupational, environmental, and psychosocial factors contributing to the MSDs. Methods An ergonomics checklist and questionnaire on general health and psycho-social issues were administered to women workers (N-=-450). The relative risk for MSDs due to demographic factors, stress symptoms, and task variables were estimated. Results Nearly 71% of the women (age 23.0--6.4 years) reported MSDs, chiefly in upper back (54%), lower back (33%), knee (35%), and shoulders (27%). Workers engaged in mixed task (OR 13.8; CI 8.7-22.0), ring cutting (OR 18.3; CI 11.8-24.7), having job experience <3 years (OR1.9; CI1.3-2.9), being married...

Abstract An ideal domesticity of the mid-19th century advocated a role for white women in civilizing and defending the American family home from cultural incursions. Black (and other non-White, non-Anglo-Saxon Protestant) women, omitted from dominant representations of domesticity, provided their own literary interventions to appropriate and adapt the ideology. Short scenes of mundane domestic labor show authors reworking the relationship of domesticity to race and class. Textile work such as sewing (depicted in the works of Harriet Jacobs, Harriet Wilson, Fanny Fern, and Frances Ellen Watkins Harper) becomes the focal point for social change, enabling an appropriation of domesticity by individuals usually excluded. Current material culture studies investigate the interaction of human subj...

The recently published Australia/New Zealand Standard AS/NZS 4399: l996 `Sun Protective Clothing - Evaluation and Classification` specifies an in vitro spectrophotometric method for the measurement of the ultraviolet (WR) transmission of textiles. Ultraviolet Protection Factors (UPF) are then calculated by convolving the UVR transmission data with standard CIE erythemal response data and ARL solar irradiance data. At the present time the scope of the standard is limited to loose fitting dry clothing. Virtually every textile parameter has an influence on the UPF of the finished garment and hence on the protection afforded to skin from the harmful effects of solar UVR radiation. Textile parameters such as fibre type, the method of spinning the yarn, fabric structure, cover factor, colorant, UVR absorbers and finishing methods determine the UPF of the fabric and hence must be controlled from batch to batch. Since garments generally shrink when washed, multiple wearing and washing cycles usually cause an increase in fabric UPF. Adventitious soiling of fabrics and the absorption of certain components of domestic laundry formulations, e g fluorescent whitening agents, increase fabric UPF ratings. Garments with a high degree of elasticity, e g nylon/lycra sportswear, that are stretched on to fit, will obviously have lower UPFs when stretched than when relaxed. In general fabrics worn in a wet state provide lower protection than when worn dry. On Australia`s most extreme summer day it has been estimated that there are 30 MEDs (minimal erythemal doses) in a dawn to dusk exposure. Thus outdoor workers should be provided with UPF 30 clothing, or better. Results from recent experiments using SK-II hairless mice dressed in UPF 50 `sunsuits` have shown that the mice developed no sun induced skin cancers on the skin areas protected by the UPF 50 fabric whereas multiple tumours developed on the unprotected skin.

Research conducted over the past decade has shown that community-based interventions can improve the survival and health of mothers and newborns in low- and middle-income countries. Interventions engaging women's groups in participatory learning and action meetings and other group activities, for example, have led to substantial increases in neonatal survival in high-mortality settings. Participatory interventions with women's groups work by providing a forum for communities to develop a common understanding of maternal and neonatal problems, as well as locally acceptable and sustainable strategies to address these. Potential partners for scaling up interventions with women's groups include government community health workers and volunteers, as well as organizations working with self-help ...

Dysentery is endemic in Zimbabwe. More than 260,000 cases and a case fatality of four per thousand were reported in 1993. In late July 1994, the Health Services Department in Bulawayo was informed of two cases of Shigella dysenteriae type I at a textile factory that employs 138 workers. Workers were interviewed at the factory regarding the date of the onset of illness, symptoms, food consumed, and treatment received. Factory water supply, cooking, and sanitary facilities were inspected. Stool and water samples were obtained for analysis. A case was defined as an employee presenting with diarrhoea with onset from July 24 to August 25, 1994. Of the 99 workers on day and evening shifts, 75 (75%) were interviewed. Thirty eight workers met the case definition (Attack Rate 51%). Common symptoms were abdominal cramps (71%), and blood in stools (37%); median duration of diarrhoea was 11 days (range 5 to 32 days). Thirty seven (64%) of 58 workers who drank borehole water were ill compared to one (6%) of the 17 who did not (RR = 10.8, 95% CI = 1.6-73). No food items consumed were significantly associated with the illness. Two different shigella species (2 sonnei and 2 boydii) were isolated from five (13%) of 38 stool specimens. Water samples from the two boreholes yielded numerous faecal coliforms. Neither borehole was registered as required by the municipal bylaws, which also forbid use of borehole water for drinking. The epidemiologic and laboratory evidence implicate contaminated borehole water as the most likely cause of this outbreak. Enforcement of municipal bylaws on drilling, registration and use of boreholes is essential to avoid further outbreaks of waterborne diseases. PMID:9557445

To facilitate better understanding of the environment and power structures in which sex work in Vietnam takes place, this study examined the sex workers' social and economic lives, their working environment, social relationships and presentation of self in everyday social contacts and interactions. Thirty in-depth interviews and 14 focus groups were conducted with street-based and venue-based sex workers in the cities of Da Nang and Hanoi. Results show that sex workers live and work within a complex system involving multiple relationships. In any of these relations, women have limited power to protect their personal security and secure payment for services rendered. Economic hardship is a major problem facing street-level sex workers and contributes to unsafe sexual practices. Venue-based ...

In adults, high-level lead exposure often occurs in the lead-related industries. Acute lead poisoning has become rare, but chronic exposure to low-level lead remains a public health issue. With recent advances in our understanding of lead toxicity at low-levels, researchers have shifted their focus to studying lead at concentrations below those currently recommended as ‘acceptable’ in worker protection. As gender plays an important role in the storage, biokinetics, and toxicity of lead, it seems inappropriate to extrapolate findings of lead exposure in men to women. Women’s bones release lead more slowly to the bloodstream, so blood levels remain increased for a long time after cessation of high exposure, reflecting the endogenous source of the bone lead storage as an endogenous source. Particularly for in pregnant women, bone lead release could influence health in pregnancy and be extremely harmful to the rapidly growing and developing fetus. Accordingly, female workers of childbearing age should avoid excessive lead exposure. However, because studies of pregnant workers encounter many difficulties and inconveniences, sufficient research has not been conducted in this area. As an alternative, a group of non-occupationally exposed women, matched as well as possible for anthropometric and reproductive variables and with almost the same levels of blood lead, could be recruited for survey.   

The complex, difficult lives and subsequent health issues of street-based female sex workers are well documented. This paper explores the health needs of a group of sex workers in one geographical locality in the north-west of England. Interviews were conducted with a number of women currently engaged in sex work, with the aim of identifying factors maintaining them in this work and examining their experience of health and health-related services. A thematic analysis revealed considerable life circumstance complexity, with violence, drugs, alcohol and housing problems being prevalent factors. The combination of such factors compounds the likelihood of the women's social exclusion. Other themes related to the casual perception the women had of their own health needs, their generally ...

Exposure lagging and exposure-time window analysis are 2 widely used approaches to allow for induction and latency periods in analyses of exposure-disease associations. Exposure lagging implies a strong parametric assumption about the temporal evolution of the exposure-disease association. An exposure-time window analysis allows for a more flexible description of temporal variation in exposure effects but may result in unstable risk estimates that are sensitive to how windows are defined. The authors describe a hierarchical regression approach that combines time window analysis with a parametric latency model. They illustrate this approach using data from 2 occupational cohort studies: studies of lung cancer mortality among 1) asbestos textile workers and 2) uranium miners. For each cohort...

The guide, written in Spanish, comprises the fifth grade unit of a career education curriculum developed for migrant students. The unit focuses on 11 occupations in manufacturing, marketing, and distribution: union representative, welder, machinist, assembly worker, textile designer, chemist, buyer, sales representative, accountant, commercial artist, and trucker. An introduction to each job contains vocabulary words pertaining to the job and instructions for conducting the lessons. Student workbook pages contain language arts and mathematics activities that utilize crossword and word find puzzles, matching, true-false, fill-in-the-blank, and scrambled word exercises. The activities are intended to provide occupational information while reinforcing the skills of matching, fact finding, determining the main idea, outlining, spelling, and logical validity. A pre- and post-test with student test leaflet, teacher guide, and answer sheet utilizes matching and multiple choice questions to measure the extent to which students understand the tools needed and the work performed in the 11 jobs. (NQA)

This paper offers an overview of an explosion that occurred in a textile industry, due to the deflagration of a particular nylon fibre called flock. The evidence, the methods and the results of the inquiry are reported. The explosion occurred in a plant that produced a characteristic kind of flocked thread which is entirely made of a synthetic material. The explosion took place inside a dryer and propagated to the connected suction plant. The explosion occurred when the plant was switched on after a long stop due to a process fault. Three workers were injured. The inquiry includes the measurement of the most important properties of the flock such as the minimum ignition energy (MIE) and the lower explosion concentration (LEL), together with an examination the exam of the damage and of the ...

An interview-based study of 42 people with serious mental illness was undertaken in New Zealand during the early 2000s. Of the 42 people, 10 were women. The women were either currently on a Community Treatment Order or had been recently discharged from a long period of being on a Community Treatment Order. Analysis of the original interview data revealed how these women experienced both benefits and limitations under conditions of compulsory community treatment. The women's key workers, clinicians, and nominated family members were also interviewed. The findings indicate that women considered the overall advantages of Community Treatment Orders to outweigh the disadvantages. Advantages included: greater access to treatment and respite care in hospital; and an increased sense of safety and ...

The Mental Health Action Checklist for a Better Workplace Environment (MHACL) is a tool for a worker participatory approach to improve work environments for worker mental health. The present study investigated the effects of an organizational intervention using the MHACL on reducing job stressors and the psychological distress of workers of a manufacturing enterprise in Japan with a controlled study design. Nine of 45 departments participated in a work environment improvement program, including planning workshops, implementation and monitoring, between July and December 2005 (intervention group, n=321). The remaining 36 departments served as the control group (n=750). Outcomes (job stressors, worksite support, psychological distress, etc.), measured using the Brief Job Stress Questionnaire, as well as sick leave days taken from the company record, were recorded before and six months after the program for both groups. Among women, skill underutilization, supervisor and coworker support, psychological distress, and job satisfaction changed more favorably in the intervention group than in the control group (p<0.05). No significant favorable effect of the program was observed among men. Improvements in the outcomes were more prominent among departments with a 50% or higher rate of worker participation in the planning workshops and among departments with a 50% or higher rate of implemented vs. planned actions. A worker participatory organizational intervention using the MHACL seems effective for promoting mental health among Japanese white-collar women.   

The status of women in the countries included in the Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) varies widely from home labor and childbearing to social and political participation. In countries where the total fertility rate is high (over 6), such as Bangladesh, Pakistan, and Nepal, the status of women is low. Bangladesh, Pakistan, and Nepal, along with India, Sri Lanka, and China, also have the lowest levels of per capita income. The education of women is one of the earmarks of social development. Education enables women to delay marriage, reduce fertility, and participate in the economy. Between 1970 and 1980, the female literacy rate increased 10% in Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia, Sri Lanka, and the Philippines; and 5% in Bangladesh, Pakistan, and Nepal. Women's participation in the labor force is determined both by the stage of development of the country and by cultural factors. In Muslim countries the level of women's participation in the labor force is low. In Thailand and China it is very high. Women with the most education are likeliest to work in professional and administrative jobs. Self-employed women tend to have as little status and as many children as unpaid family workers, and women working in agriculture are almost as badly off. In Asia and the Pacific, except for Muslim countries, women have participated actively in family planning programs. In several countries in the region, women have been active in politics, but mostly at the local level. If women are to be integrated into the development process in the countries of Asia and the Pacific, attention must be given to their education and employment, to increasing the role of men in household and child rearing duties, and to research in the interrelations of population processes, women's status, and socioeconomic development. PMID:12282180

ObjectiveThe study sought to (1) understand the perspectives of perinatal psychiatric and antenatal health service workers on the service and support needs of mothers with schizophrenia; (2) obtain their views on the feasibility and potential effectiveness of a proposed parenting intervention tailored for this group.MethodTwenty-eight perinatal psychiatry and antenatal service workers were interviewed using a semi-structured methodology, and anonymised verbatim transcripts analysed for content themes.ResultsMany respondents felt that women with schizophrenia received insufficient postnatal support. Perceived needs were: support with adjustment/coping; parenting skills and sensitivity training; maintaining mental health; continuity of care and community support; and encouraging bonding. Ser...

Abstract in spanish El estudio contribuye al conocimiento de las características y niveles del proceso de diferenciación social al interior de los trabajadores urbanos de Argentina, que se profundizó a partir de la aplicación del ajuste estructural de los años noventa. Explora la hipótesis de la cristalización de una diferenciación, que pueda ser considerada como socialmente sustantiva, entre aquellos trabajadores desocupados, o que tienen inserciones laborales extremadamente irregul (more) ares, y el resto de la clase obrera. Esta hipótesis se investiga acotadamente en un territorio, el Área Metropolitana, tanto para el período de crisis del empleo como para el momento de reactivación post-devaluación. La metodología utilizada fue la reconstrucción y análisis comparativo de trayectorias socio-ocupacionales personales e intergeneracionales. Se basa tanto en las fuentes secundarias disponibles como en setenta entrevistas en profundidad a varones de entre 18 y 60 años de edad que componen dos grupos a priori diferentes: a) beneficiarios de programas de empleo y b) ocupados de manera regular en las industrias metalúrgicas, textil y construcción. Abstract in english The paper contributes to the understanding the social differentiation process occurred within the Argentine urban working class, deepened by the structural adjustment policy implemented during the nineties. The research hypothesis considers if the differentiation among unemployed workers and the rest of the working class, could be considered socially relevant. This hypothesis is tested within a specific geographical context: the Buenos Aires Metropolitan Area, before and (more) after the period of economic recovery and following the devaluation of the peso, at the beginning of year 2002. The methodology is the reconstruction and comparison of the socio-occupational workers´ stories. Research results rest on secondary official sources and on a group of seventy in-depth interviews performed on males between eighteen and sixty years old, where it was able to differentiate a priori between two different groups: a) irregular workers that were recipient of employment programs, and b) regular workers, developing activities either in the manufacturer industry or in the construction sector.

This study was conducted to generate data for developing an action plan for accessing the female condom through primary health care centres in Zimbabwe. It used both quantitative and qualitative methods to gather information from sexually active women and men on the perception and acceptability of the female condom among users in rural areas of Zimbabwe. The findings show that very few women had used the female condom prior to the survey. Several women (93%) liked the condom especially young women aged 20-39 years (83%), compared to older women aged 40 years and above (11%). Both women and men liked the dual role of contraception and protection against STIs including HIV/AIDS played by the female condom. Most women (98%) felt that it is important for women to have their own condom. However, both men and women pointed out that it will be difficult to introduce the female condom in married situations due to the stigma associated with condoms in general. Over 80% of women said they will have to seek permission from their partners to use the female condom. Women had problems with inserting the condom and were concerned with lubrication, size and appearance, and how to dispose of used condom. Regarding cost, 77% felt that the female condom is too expensive given that the male condom can be obtained free from health centres. The cost of the female condom could hinder its continued use and would encourage women, especially commercial sex workers, to re-use it. Respondents still require more information relating to side effects (45%), effectiveness in STIs prevention including HIV/AIDS (44%), proper use (43%) and cost (32%). PMID:15055153

Filipinos have been an important part of the global workforce since the first half of the twentieth century. The initial migration of primarily men has shifted to an increasing numbers of women in recent decades. These changes are primarily attributed to a high demand for domestic workers, nurses and occupations that are female dominated. In 2005, about 70% of the international Labour migrants are women from the Philippines. Living in a foreign land, these women face challenges that affect their physical, emotional and social well being. Especially on their first year living abroad, these women experience significant stress which affects their health as they adjust to a new work environment, culture, social norms, diet, and weather. The emotional strain can be greater for those who have left their families behind in the Philippines and aggravated by the financial need to send money to them. Striking examples, such as the homicide rate of Filipino women married to Australian men being 5.6 times higher than that of Australian-born women, underscores the importance of supportive health care environments and appreciating socio-cultural factors. In the delivery of healthcare services to migrant women, it is critical to consider the unique socio-cultural background of women as well as health beliefs and practices. PMID:22482284

Filipinos have been an important part of the global workforce since the first half of the twentieth century. The initial migration of primarily men has shifted to an increasing numbers of women in recent decades. These changes are primarily attributed to a high demand for domestic workers, nurses and occupations that are female dominated. In 2005, about 70% of the international labour migrants are women from the Philippines. Living in a foreign land, these women face challenges that affect their physical, emotional and social well being. Especially on their first year living abroad, these women experience significant stress which affects their health as they adjust to a new work environment, culture, social norms, diet, and weather. The emotional strain can be greater for those who have le...

Counseling Service for Women in Crisis is an out-patient unit of the Department of Psychiatry (Clinical Center ''Dr Dragisa Misovic) engaged in mental health prevention. It was established in co-ordinance with contemporary directives of the World Health Organization which emphasizes health care for women as one of its priorities. The service addresses clients with coping problems during biological and/or psychosocial transitional and crisis periods. Members of the professional team are: a female psychiatrist-psychotherapist also trained in other aspects of women's health, family therapist, social worker, relaxation therapist and nurse with additional midwife skills. When treating women in menopause, pregnancy and confinement cooperation with departments of gynecology and obstetrics is regu...

In response to a request from the Amalgamated Clothing and Textile Workers Union, a study was made of possible occupational exposure to hazardous materials in the finishing department of the Pan American Tannery, Gloversville, New York. Concern had risen at the company following a report in a medical journal about testicular cancer in the tanning industry. A cluster of three men in the finishing department had already been identified with testicular cancer. Several examples of poor housekeeping and poor maintenance of the building were noted on the walk through study. Major contaminants in the air samples included 2-butoxyethanol, diisobutylketone, limonene, and 2-ethylhexyl-acetate. According to the authors, it is not possible to determine if any specific agent was responsible for the testicular cancer cluster due to the fact that several changes had been made over time in the engineering controls and chemical processing, and that written records were not available. The authors recommend measures to reduce worker exposures, including medical surveillance, ventilation improvements, work practices and housekeeping requirements.

Research into the impact of dealing with intimate partner violence has focused mainly on women who treated victims. The present article explores the interaction between male social workers and battering men. The sample included 15 male social workers who worked with battering men in social services. Data collection was performed through semistructured interviews. The main theme emerging from the interviews describes the reconstruction and renegotiation of the worker's professional and personal self in light of his experiences with violent clients. Two major motifs describing their experience emerged: The first is self-doubt arising from adopting a broad definition of violence, thus creating increased sensitization to and inclusion of a wide range of behaviors under the term "violence." The second motif is related to compromising with reality by renegotiating their identity as aggressive, at times, but not violent. Findings were discussed in the light of the constructionist perspective.

ABSTRACT Objectives To explore commercial sex workers' experiences with the female condom in Swaziland. Methods This is a qualitative study that draws on two focus group discussions and ten individual in-depth interviews with female commercial sex workers in Lavumisa, Swaziland. Results The findings suggest that the majority of female sex workers prefer to use the female condom with their clients because it offers them greater control over the sexual encounter. Other factors that facilitate its use include the absence of side effects, the enhancement of sexual pleasure and protection against the risk of STIs (including HIV). In addition, the women reported that the female condom is stronger and more resistant to breakage than the male condom. Moreover, the female condoms can be inserted we...

The escalating demand for trained direct long-term care (DLTC) workers, those individuals with the most sustained direct contact with vulnerable older adults in homes and facilities, is a consequence of our rapidly aging population. Research documents the present and projected shortages of DLTC workers, and developed nations are increasingly turning to immigrant women to fulfill these workforce needs. The authors identify international trends that influence the availability of these workers. Following a broad overview of the DLTC workforce, they turn to a specific examination of immigrants working in long-term care settings in the United States. The authors raise a number of questions about this changing workforce profile. They outline four ways that institutes of higher education can help improve the DLTC workforce in the United States and suggest that colleges and universities work in partnership with policy makers and the long-term care industry to this end.

Abstract This article analyses management-union-worker relations in a foreign-owned Moldovan clothing factory. Studies of post-socialist industrial relations have focused on explaining labour quiescence, advancing -path dependence- and -Soviet legacy- arguments. These draw attention to strong links between management and unions, and weak relations between the latter and workers. We show how the union has, in one case, drawn creatively on Soviet legacies to develop strong articulation between itself and women workers. This was part of a wider adaptive strategy within which the union transformed the meaning of previous functions and developed novel ones. The outcome is a well-organized representative union capable of challenging management at the negotiating table, as well as on the shop flo...

SummaryObjectiveTo examine perceived poor sleep quality and its association with unhealthy lifestyle and self-reported morbidities among Brazilian workers. MethodsThis study was part of a national survey involving 47,477 workers who received a questionnaire about lifestyle. Chi-square tests and logistic regression (OR=Odds Ratio) were conducted. ResultsPoor sleep quality was reported by 21% of workers and was more prevalent among women (p<0.01). After being adjusted for socio-demographic indicators, negative perception of health, well-being, stress, self-reported morbidities, physical inactivity during leisure-time (OR: 1.18) in both genders, and inadequate fruit and vegetable intake (ORmen: 1.15; ORwomen: 1.17), as well as excessive alcohol consumption (OR: 1.15) in men remained associate...

Objective to identify and better understand factors that influence care-seeking behaviour for womens health among indigenous Mayan populations in the highlands of Guatemala. Design adaptation of qualitative anthropological methods involving observations, key informant interviews and focus group discussions (FGDs). Setting Project Concern Internationals Casa Materna, Huehuetenango, Guatemala. Participants Interviews and FGDs were conducted among 21 clients (current or past) of the Casa Materna and traditional birth attendants; 17 female advocates/promoters of the Casa Materna and related services; and 12 male advocates, including spouses, non-government organisation staff and community health workers. Findings the following findings emerged from focus group data: Womens support groups (WSGs...

Abstract Through an analysis of solidarity across borders and social groups in connection with and beyond a strike on the part primarily of women workers at a foreign-owned factory in Turkey's Antalya Free Zone, this article contributes to the debate on the two union renewal strategies of transnational labour solidarity and coalition building with social movements. In the case at hand, the extensive strike-related support on the part of external unions and the women's movement illustrates the positive difference that solidarity practices can make. However, looking beyond the strike itself, the case points to significant challenges related to the development of deeper and more proactive solidarity across borders and social groups.

The legend has only retained from Marie Curie (1867-1934) the image of a hard and brilliant worker, pioneer in the radioactivity domain, and who awarded twice the Nobel Price. Behind the scientist, there is a women, Marya Salomea Sklodowska, the 'Polish', who was considered during some time as an 'alien', an 'atheistic intellectual', an 'emancipated women'. When she died alone in July 1934, after an exhausting life of labour, her funeral led to no official ceremony or speech. This small book summarizes the biography of the most famous female scientist in the world

This paper focuses on the perceived racialisation and resultant spatialisation of commercial sex in Dubai. In recent years, the sex industry in Dubai has grown to include women from the Middle East, Eastern Europe, East Asia and Africa. With the increase in sex workers of different nationalities has come a form of localised racism that is embedded in structures and desires seen within specific locations. The physical spatialisation of sex work hinges on perceived race and produces distinct income generating potential for women engaged in the sex industry in Dubai. The social and physical topography of Dubai is important in marginalising or privileging these various groups of sex workers, which correlates race, space and place with rights and assistance. I begin with a description of the mu...

The aim of this research was to explore demographic, familial, and attitudinal correlates of Taiwanese women's employment status. Using data from a representative nationwide sample of female workers aged 21 and above (N = 1,047), the author found that (a) the employment rate of females decreased steadily with age, with no sign of reentry into the labor market in middle adulthood; (b) the more educated women had higher employment likelihood throughout the early and middle adulthood than their less educated counterparts, whereas this trend reversed after the age of 60; (c) multivariate analysis confirmed that age, education, personal health, and family income were significant predictors of female employment. In a fast changing society, more concerted research is needed to inform public policies and human resource practices to ameliorate the challenges faced by female workers, to promote social justice and female labor participation. (Contains 3 tables.)

The aim of this paper was to analyze and to evaluate women's opinion on hormone pills and the influence on hormone pill usage and reveal the main sources of information. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Women who came for pregnancy termination (Group A) and women who came for consultation on further usage of contraception (Group K) have been interrogated. Interrogation according the special questionnaire has been performed at four consultation centers and three gynecologic clinics of Kaunas city. It was find out that due to the wrong information 25.1% of women in group A and 35% of women in group K thought that hormone pills cause irregular bleeding (p=0.01). Another myth - the possibility to become pregnant when taking pills - was indicated by 17% of women in group A and 32.4% of women in group K (p=0.01). Nine percent in group A and 12% in group K were confident that when taking hormone pills for some period of time one will not be able to become pregnant in the future. Seventy three percent of group A women and 80% of group K women indicated that the use of hormone pills increases the body weight (p=0.01). This research showed that the women that used hormone pills were properly informed about their treatment and side effects. Fifty four percent of group A women and 36% of group K women indicated that hormone pills were not suitable in case of several diseases (p=0.01). Eighty three percent of group A women and 71% of group K knew that hormone pills did not protect from cervical cancer (p=0.01). This information was mainly obtained from medical workers. The main reason why women of fertile age who took part in our research used little of hormone pills was false information received from insufficiently skilled persons and accordingly the negative opinion about hormone pills. CONCLUSIONS: Women's opinion on hormone pills is a very important factor for its usage. This opinion depends on sources of information, whether women received correct or false information on hormone pills. The most reliable source of information indicated by investigated women was medical personnel. PMID:15547310

Although sex work can bring significant economic benefit there are serious downsides, not least vulnerability to adverse sexual health outcomes. Focus-groups discussions and in-depth interviews were conducted with 70 female sex workers to explore the context in which they started sex work, their motivations to leave, and their experiences of trying to leave. The pathway to becoming a sex worker was underscored by poverty, with disruptive events leading to increasing vulnerability and increasingly difficult life choices. A sizeable minority of women became sex workers while working as house-girls, a position associated with financial, physical and sexual vulnerability. The majority of participants were still working as sex workers, citing financial reasons for not leaving. Motivations to leave sex work included experiencing a frightening incident, peer pressure and concerns about dependent children. Those who left often described a change in their financial circumstances that enabled them to leave. Some had left but had returned to sex work following a financial crisis or because they found their new life too hard. House-girls are particularly vulnerable and therefore an appropriate focus for prevention. Programmes assisting women to leave need to include financial safety nets so that a time of financial difficulty does not necessitate a return to sex work. PMID:22937751

...and sealants, ink, textiles, paper coating...To treat sewage and wastewater effluent related to public and private wastewater treatment plants...preservative applied to textiles for commercial and industrial use only....

...S) Textile wet (G...Polyoxyalkylene ether, industrial coatings...polymeric wastewater. dithiocarbamate...S) Wastewater heavy (G...G) Industrial adhesive...composite or textile surface...based acrylic industrial coatings...S) Wastewater heavy...

This review article demonstrates the scope and applications of nanotechnology towards modification and development of advanced textile fibers, yarns and fabrics and their processing techniques. Basically, it summarizes the recent advances made in nanotechnology and its applications to cotton textil...

...alloys and goods in precious metals or coated therewith, not included...materials; flexible pipes, not of metal. 18. Leather and imitations...buildings; monuments, not of metal. 20. Furniture, mirrors...fibrous textile materials. 23. Yarns and threads, for textile...

The attention of international agencies and scientific community on mobbing (bullying) and work-related stress is increasing. However, research on gender differences and etiologic agents is still limited. This study describes the gender differences found in victims of mobbing and work-related stress in an Italian case series. Between 2001 and 2009, at the Occupational Medicine Unit of our Institution we examined 345 outpatients (197 women and 148 men) for suspected psychopathological work-related problems. After interdisciplinary diagnostic evaluation, the diagnosis of "mobbing syndrome" was formulated, according to international criteria (ICD-I0 and DSM-IV), in a minority of cases: 35 subjects. In the other workers, we found pre-existing psychiatric conditions (not related to work), or altered relationships dynamics with the colleagues. Significant gender differences emerged among people with "mobbing syndrome": there was a high prevalence of women (65%), with medium to high level of education; the most affected age group was between 34 and 45 years; several occupations were involved, with a clear preponderance of office workers. Women are mostly harassed for personal aspects related to emotional and relational factors; men for the content of their work. The knowledge of the phenomenon is an essential prerogative to contrast mobbing; this can be realized, at a preventive level, only through effective information and training for workers and employers, who have the legal obligation to preserve the integrity of the mental and physical status of their employees during the work. PMID:22452099

The idea for an ATLAS Women's Network was born during the ATLAS overview week in October 2005, when a few of us discussed our experiences and were pondering about what we could do. We felt that it was important to increase the visibility of women working in ATLAS in order to make a better and more effective use of the ATLAS human resources, that is, make sure that women are duly included at all levels. Furthermore, it is our belief that making ATLAS a better working environment for female collaborators and other female co-workers will benefit both us and the collaboration as a whole. On the individual level, all of us thought that we could benefit from peer support and experience sharing, and an ATLAS Women's Network could facilitate this by developing contacts between the ATLAS Women in ATLAS Institutes worldwide. Finally, we thought that it was important to increase the number of women studying physics and working in the field of physics research by identifying gender barriers in the career paths of women i...

Abstract in portuguese A presença das mulheres rurais na produção agrícola familiar é um fato. Mesmo na invisibilidade, não se pode negar que elas estão ocupando terras, plantando, colhendo, e cultivando o desejo de ter uma terra livre e usufruí-la com seu trabalho. Presentes na casa, no quintal, na roça e na luta pela terra, as mulheres tiveram ainda de lutar pelo direito de serem reconhecidas como trabalhadoras. A emergência das mulheres rurais nos movimentos sociais proporcionou se (more) u aparecimento como sujeito político, rompendo sua invisibilidade como trabalhadora. Nesse aprendizado e experimentação as mulheres rurais criaram seu próprio movimento, consolidado na década de 1980. Desde então realizam encontros nacionais, marchas e campanhas, criaram coletivos de mulheres e conquistaram direitos. Os Coletivos de Mulheres estão vinculados à Federação de Trabalhadores da Agricultura do Ceará (FETRAE - CE) ou ao Movimento dos Trabalhadores Rurais Sem Terra (MST) e constituem espaços importantes de ressignificação das atividades produtivas das mulheres. Abstract in english Women are effectively engaged in family agricultural production. In spite of certain invisibility, women are occupying fields, planting and harvesting. At the same time, they are longing for a free land where they can work. They have always been active at home, in the backyards, in the small subsistence farms and now they are struggling to being recognized as rural workers. The involvement of rural women in social movements has conferred on them the status of political be (more) ings and as a result they are not invisible any longer. In the process of active experimentation and learning they founded their own social movement that has become well established since the 1980 decade. Since then, they have organized national meetings, campaigns and created organizations called "Women Collectives." These organizations are connected to either the Federation of Agricultural Workers in Ceará (FETRAECE - CE) or to the MST (Movement of Landless Workers). They represent important opportunities for giving new meanings to the productive activities of women.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: In 2010, wind energy coverage in Spain increased by 16%, making the country the world's fourth largest producer in a fast-developing industry that is also a source of employment. Occupational skin diseases in this field have received little attention. The present study aims to describe the main characteristics of skin diseases affecting workers in the wind energy industry and the allergens involved. MATERIAL AND METHODS: We performed a descriptive, observational study of workers from the wind energy industry with suspected contact dermatitis who were referred to the occupational dermatology clinic of the National School of Occupational Medicine (Escuela Nacional de Medicina del Trabajo) between 2009 and 2011. We took both a clinical history and an occupational history, and patients underwent a physical examination and patch testing with the materials used in their work. RESULTS: We studied 10 workers (8 men, 2 women), with a mean age of 33.7 years. The main finding was dermatitis, which affected the face, eyelids, forearms, and hands. Sensitization to epoxy resins was detected in 4 workers, 1 of whom was also sensitized to epoxy curing agents. One worker was sensitized to bisphenol F resin but had a negative result with epoxy resin from the standard series. In the 5 remaining cases, the final diagnosis was irritant contact dermatitis due to fiberglass. CONCLUSIONS: Occupational skin diseases are increasingly common in the wind energy industry. The main allergens are epoxy resins. Fiberglass tends to produce irritation. PMID:23157916

ABSTRACT: BACKGROUND: Due to growing antimalarial drug resistance, Tanzania changed malaria treatment policies twice within a decade. First in 2001 chloroquine (CQ) was replaced by sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine (SP) for management of uncomplicated malaria and by late 2006, SP was replaced by artemether-lumefantrine (AL). We assessed health workers' attitudes and personal practices following the first treatment policy change, at six months post-change and two years later. METHODS: Two cross-sectional surveys were conducted in 2002 and 2004 among healthcare workers in three districts in South-East Tanzania using semi-structured questionnaires. Attitudes were assessed by enquiring which antimalarial was considered most suitable for the management of uncomplicated malaria for the three patient categories: i) children below 5; ii) older children and adults; and iii) pregnant women. Practice was ascertained by asking which antimalarial was used in the last malaria episode by the health worker him/herself and/or dependants. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression was used to identify factors associated with reported attitudes and practices towards the new treatment recommendations. RESULTS: A total of 400 health workers were interviewed; 254 and 146 in the first and second surveys, respectively. SP was less preferred antimalarial in hospitals and private health facilities (pmanagement of the last malaria episode for health workers and their dependants in both rounds, in the public sector (pmanagement of their own or family members' malaria episode. This indicates that, other factors than providers' attitude may have more influence in their personal treatment practices. PMID:23137196

New areas of applications of cyclodextrins with textiles are possible. The ability of cyclodextrins to form inclusion complexes can be used, e.g., to remove malodor from textile materials. The permanent fixation of cyclodextrins offers new textiles with interesting properties. Thus the formation of ...

During the last decade, a lot of research is done in screen printing with conductive silver-based inks on different woven and nonwoven textile fabrics. This method offers flexible and lightweight conductive textiles with excellent electroconductive properties to be used in smart textiles. Furthermor...

To develop appropriate glaucoma mass screening programs for occupational health among Japanese workers, we estimated the prevalence of glaucoma and the increase rate by age. A total of 10,579 Japanese general workers (men/women = 9292/1287) underwent frequency doubling technology (FDT) perimetry testing. Visual field abnormalities (VFA) were identified by the FDT-based glaucoma screening protocol (FDT-VFA). Subjects with FDT-VFA were ophthalmologically diagnosed and classified as “normal,” “glaucomatous VFA” (preperimetric, suspicious, and definitive glaucoma) or “other ocular diseases.” Prevalence of FDT-VFA and positive predictive values for “glaucomatous VFA” and “definitive glaucoma” were calculated by five-year age intervals, and then the prevalence of “glaucomatous VFA” and “definitive glaucoma” in each age interval was estimated. Prevalence of “glaucomatous VFA” and “definitive glaucoma” in workers younger than 30 years old was approximately 1.5% and 0.5%, respectively. Interestingly, the increase in prevalence of glaucoma by age was significantly different between workers with and without refractive errors (RE). From ages 30 to 55 years, the estimated prevalence of “definitive glaucoma” linearly increased with a regression coefficient (%/age in years) that was 2.5-fold higher in subjects with RE than in those without RE {regression coefficient = 0.131 [95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.109, 0.152; R2 = 0.980]vs. 0.047 [95% CI = 0.026, 0.068; R2 = 0.869]for subjects with RE vs. those without RE, respectively}. Further, among workers older than 55 years, the prevalence of glaucoma continued increasing in workers with RE, whereas it plateaued in those without RE. From these estimates, we propose that FDT testing should be conducted as follows: 1) once in workers under the age of 30 years, 2) according to both age and the presence of RE in 30-55 years old, and 3) by age only in those over 55 years old.   

This publication documents the presentations, papers, and discussions of two workshops. On theme 4, "Adult Learning, Gender Equality and Equity and the Empowerment of Women," of the Fifth International Conference on Adult Education: "Women's Education: The Contending Discourses and Possibilities for Change" and "Raising Gender Issues in Different Educational Settings." An introduction is followed by "By Way of Introduction to Workshop 1" (Nelly Stromquist) that discusses what gender means. "Two Different Voices on Education for Women's Empowerment" (Sara Hlupekile Longwe) reflects on the two contending discourses on women's education and empowerment. "Learning Literacy Strategies from Indian Women" (Malini Ghose) describes innovative strategies that evolved with women in literacy classes. "Incorporating Women's Experiences of Violence in Literacy Work" (Jennifer Horsman) expounds on the importance of addressing the issue of violence against women. "Women's Education in the Caribbean: Issues and Possibilities" (Anne Marie Smith) maintains that access to education equals access to the labor market by showing a picture of the Caribbean situation. "Discussion of Workshop 1" explores numerous topics raised by the papers. Workshop 2 is composed of six papers. Two papers, "Some Reflections on the UNESCO PROAP [Principal Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific] and ASPBAE [Asia South Pacific Bureau of Adult Education] Research on Girls' and Women's Education" and "Bridging the Gap between the Intention and Action: An Overview of Girls' and Women's Access to Basic Education in South Asia" (Vimla Ramachandran) share results of a four-country research project that indicates many excellent policy documents have been developed but not implemented. "Engendering African Education: Some Reflections" (Essi Sutherland-Addy) highlights the Forum of African Women Educationalists and gives the author's thoughts on African education. "Engendering African Education: A Concept Paper" (Sheila Parvyn Wamahiu) underscores the importance of including gender in the development of education. "Addressing Emotional Subordination in Our Education Work" (Lean Chan Heng) points out the importance of empowering women workers. "Enabling Women's Leadership in Chile" (Alejandra Valdez) shares experiences in conducting women's leadership training, raising the importance of addressing identity and individuation issues. "Discussion of Workshop 2" concludes the publication. (YLB)

During the 1980s, a group of women from rural communities in the Mexican state of Sinaloa organized a grassroots social movement in order to gain legal access to the sale of shrimp. The movement reached its peak in 1984, with the formation of a shrimp traders union and the establishment of a shrimp marketplace in the tourist city of Mazatlán. Despite the long trajectory of the movement and the success of the shrimp market, these women and their work have been completely ignored by government agencies in charge of the development and management of the fishing industry. For the most part, one gets to read about the shrimp traders only in tourist-oriented brochures depicting them as a “local attraction,” something to be seen while one is touring the city on a private charter bus en route to the Archaeological Museum or to the upscale jewelry shops in the Golden Zone. In this article, I examine how women used their gender and their identity as rural workers to defy the state and its policies, overcome poverty, and take control of the local marketing of shrimp. Another objective of this article is to show why and how women engaged in collective action so they could be legitimized as workers and how gender shaped their individual experiences. PMID:22545273

A mortality cohort study was carried out on 2,291 workers, including 169 women, with chronic occupational CS2 poisoning diagnosed during the years 1970-90. Information on vital status was available for 98.2% as of December 31, 1992. Mortality assessment was based on the standardized mortality ratio using the person-years method. The general population of Poland was the reference population. The number of subjects who died during the period of observation accounted for 658 men and 21 women. The analysis of mortality in male subjects showed statistically significant excess of deaths from the circulatory system diseases (SMR = 139), in this from ischaemic heart disease (SMR = 137), cerebrovascular disease (SMR = 188) and colon cancer (SMR = 233). Over a two-fold increased risk of death from diseases of the nervous system and sense organs, although statistically insignificant, was also observed. Among women a statistically significant risk of death from atherosclerosis was noted (SMR = 286). An elevated risk of death from the circulatory system diseases and from ischaemic disease (IHD) agrees with the results of some other cohort studies carried out in the viscose rayon workers. The increased mortality from malignant neoplasms is an unusual finding in cohorts of workers exposed to CS2. Our own data reported here showed a significantly increased mortality from colon cancer (9 cases). All these cases were noted in workers of the two oldest rayon plants and they require a detailed analysis. Further survey is also needed to elucidate the excess of deaths from the nervous system and sense organs diseases. PMID:9117188

Objective: To assess the prevalence of HPV infection among women with cervical cancer in Tiruchirapalli, Tamil Nadu, India. Methods: A case-control study was conducted with 246 women with cervical cancer and 257 control participants aged between 20 and 70years. The presence of HPV DNA was determined using the MY09/11 PCR protocol, the GP5^+/6^+ PCR protocol, and type-specific PCR-based assays. Results: The overall HPV prevalence was 54.9% and HPV 16 was the most prevalent type. The women the most vulnerable for HPV infection were those aged 41 to 60years. The major contributing risk factors for cervical cancer were having had 3 or more pregnancies (OR 19.2; 95% CI, 10.78-10.16); harboring high-risk HPV DNA (OR 15.3; 95% CI, 9.81-23.8); being a manual worker (OR 14.9; 95% CI, 9.62-23.08); b...

Construction is one of the most gender-segregated sectors of the UK economy; men constitute over 99 per cent of the employees in the building trades. This article focuses on the role of discourse in reflecting and reproducing the absence of women in the construction trades. A small excerpt from an industry report is described, interpreted and explained using critical discourse analysis. The analysis takes as its starting point one phrase, -most jobs in the construction industry can be done by women- and places it in its structural, institutional and historic context, showing its dependence on presuppositions about women's abilities, and the ideological basis of those assumptions. Male construction workers' masculine identity is defined in relation to their -tough- job. The culture of takin...

OBJECTIVE:: Cervicovaginal HIV-1-neutralizing immunoglobulin A (IgA) was associated with reduced HIV-1 acquisition in a cohort of commercial sex workers. We aimed to define the prevalence and correlates of HIV-1-neutralizing IgA from HIV-1-exposed seronegative (HESN) women in HIV-1-serodiscordant relationships. METHODS:: HIV-1-serodiscordant couples in Nairobi were enrolled and followed quarterly up to 2 years, and women in concordant HIV-1-negative relationships were enrolled as controls. Cervicovaginal, seminal, and blood samples were collected at enrollment and follow-up. Cervicovaginal IgA was assessed for HIV-1-neutralizing activity by a peripheral blood mononuclear cell-based assay using an HIV-1 clade A primary isolate. RESULTS:: HESN women in discordant relationships had significantly more HIV-1-neutralizing IgA detected in genital secretions compared with control women [36 of 155 (23%) vs. four of 70 (6%), respectively; odds ratio (OR) 5.0; 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.70-14.64; P?=?0.003]. These responses persisted over time in all available follow-up cervicovaginal samples from women with detectable HIV-1-neutralizing IgA at baseline. Partner median HIV-1 plasma viral load was lower among women who had HIV-1-neutralizing IgA compared with women without detectable activity (4.3 vs. 4.8?log10?copies/ml, respectively; OR 0.70; 95% CI 0.51-0.94; P?=?0.02). A similar trend was found with partner seminal viral load (OR 0.57; 95% CI 0.32-1.02; P?=?0.06). CONCLUSION:: HESN women were five times more likely to have neutralizing IgA in cervicovaginal secretions than low-risk control women, and these responses were inversely associated with partner viral load. These observations support the existence of antiviral activity in the mucosal IgA fraction following sexual HIV-1 exposure. PMID:22948273

To determine utilization of iron and folic acid supplementation services among pregnant women in Kenya. A cross sectional study was conducted at Nyeri Hospital, a regional referral hospital in central Kenya. Women attending the antenatal clinic were selected through systematic sampling. A semi-structured questionnaire was administered to collect information on utilization of folic acid and iron supplementation services. Women who ingested folic acid or iron supplements for >4 days in a week were considered "highly compliant". The health worker in-charge of the antenatal clinic was interviewed about the frequency of supplement stock-outs during the past year. Haemoglobin concentration was measured directly from one drop of capillary blood and measured using portable HEMOCUE B-Hb photometer. Of the 381 women interviewed, only 23.6 % obtained antenatal care in the first trimester; 69.3 and 51.2 % received folic acid and iron supplements, respectively. However, only half (45-58 %) received any information about supplementation. Most women were initiated on folic acid (80.7 %) or iron (67.7 %) after 12 and 16 weeks of gestation, respectively, well after the recommended time period. However, more than 80 % of those who received folic acid and iron were highly compliant. Stock-outs were common at the facility. Of 361 women tested for Hb level, the prevalence of anaemia (Hb levels supply chain management exacerbate the problem. PMID:22907273

SiO2 coatings and inorganic/organic polymer hybrid coatings were applied onto textiles, and the textile properties were investigated with respect to parameters of textile comfort as stiffness, water uptake, and air permeability. Two different types of textiles (viscose and polyamide) were dip-coated with coating solutions of a pure silica sol and a polymer-modified silica sol. Only with low concentrated coating solutions a sufficient low stiffness and therefore an appropriate textile comfort could be realized. Analogously the water uptake of the treated textiles was decreased and sufficient high values were only reached with highly diluted coating solutions. Therefore, it was investigated whether such diluted coating solutions could be used for modification of textiles to add new beneficia...

Vaccines against two high-risk human papillomavirus (HPV) types, HPV-16, and HPV-18, are in use currently, with high efficacy for preventing infections with these HPV types and consequent cervical cancers. However, circulating HPV types can vary with geography and ethnicity. The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence of HPV types and the association between HPV types and abnormal cervical cytology among female sex workers in Northern Vietnam. Cervical swabs and plasma samples were collected from 281 female sex workers at two health centers in Hanoi and Hai Phong in 2009. The HPV L1 gene was amplified by PCR using original and modified GP5(+) /6(+) primers. Amplified PCR products were genotyped by the microarray system GeneSquare (KURABO) and/or clonal sequencing. Of the 281 women, 139 (49.5%) were positive for HPV DNA. Among the HPV-positive samples, 339 strains and 29 different types were identified. Multiple-type and high risk-type HPV infections were found in 85 (61.2%) and 124 (89.2%) women, respectively. The most common genotype was HPV-52, followed by HPV-16, HPV-18, and HPV-58. Abnormal cervical cytology was detected in 3.2% (9/281) of the women, and all of these samples were positive for HPV-DNA. Age ?25 years and infection with human immunodeficiency virus were associated positively with HPV infection among the women while ever smoking was associated negatively. These results show that HPV-52 is most prevalent among female sex workers in Northern Vietnam, most of whom had normal cervical cytology. This information may be important for designing vaccination strategies in Vietnam. J. Med. Virol. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. PMID:23161344

By disrupting the routine practices and social structures that support social hierarchy, disasters provide a unique opportunity to observe how gender, race, and class power relations are enacted and reconstituted to shape health inequities. Using a feminist intersectional framework, we examine the dynamic relationships among a government/corporate alliance, front-line disaster recovery workers, and disadvantaged residents in Mississippi Gulf Coast communities in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, which struck in August, 2005. Data were collected between January 2007 and October 2008 through field observations, public document analysis, and in-depth interviews with 32 front-line workers representing 27 non-governmental, nonprofit community-based organizations. Our analysis reveals how power relationships among these groups operated at the macro-level of the political economy as well as in individual lives, increasing health risks among both the disadvantaged and the front-line workers serving and advocating on their behalf. Socially situated as outsiders-within, front-line recovery workers operated in the middle ground between the disadvantaged populations they served and the powerful alliance that controlled access to essential resources. From this location, they both observed and were subject to the processes guiding the allocation of resources and their unequal outcomes. Following a brief period of hope for progressive change, recovery workers became increasingly stressed and fatigued, particularly from lack of communication and coordination, limited resources, insufficient capacity to meet overwhelming demands, and gendered and racialized mechanisms of marginalization and exclusion. The personal and collective health burdens borne by these front-line recovery workers--predominantly women and people of color - exemplify the ways in which the social relations of power and control contribute to health and social inequities. PMID:21978634

Using the database of the Korea Labor Welfare Corporation (KLWC), which is the public organization for workers' compensation in Korea, we analyzed the occupational infectious diseases among the health care workers who were compensated by the Industrial Accident Compensation Insurance (IACI). From January 1998 to December 2004, 307 cases of infectious diseases were approved as being cases of occupational diseases. Women accounted for 83% (254 cases) of the compensated cases. The most common age group was 20-29 yr of age (228 cases, 74.3%). The majority of infections were tuberculosis (203 cases, 66.1%), hepatitis (42 cases, 13.7%), chickenpox (11 cases, 3.6%), AIDS (8 cases, 2.6%) and scabies (7 cases, 2.3%). The major types of occupations were nurses, including 18 aid-nurses (223 cases, 72.6%), doctors (37 cases, 12.1%), clinical pathology technicians (18 cases, 5.9%) and workers who were taking care of patients (8 cases, 2.6%). The mean working duration after infection was 3.9 yr and the mean duration of recuperation was 9.7 months. The most common department where the infected workers were working was the inpatient ward (161 cases, 52.4%), followed by the intensive care unit (51 cases, 16.6%). Through this study, we were able to elucidate the characteristics of occupational infectious diseases among Korean health care workers. These results have to be considered when establishing the management policy for prevention of occupational infectious diseases among Korean health care workers. Also, all knowledge from these Korean cases will be helpful to make good practices to promote occupational safety and health in the new era of globalization. PMID:18840934

This monograph describes the strengths and weaknesses of child care services in the Tamil Nadu region of India and suggests directions for the future of child care. Section 1, "Introduction," discusses the role of the government in providing support for child development, highlighting achievements of the State of Tamil Nadu. Section 2, "Governmental Efforts," provides a history of child welfare services, and describes the projects of the Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) and the Tamil Nadu Integrated Nutrition Projects (TINP). This section also discusses the importance of maternity assistance and training for women. Section 3, "Other Sectors," presents information on the development of child care services for working women with children under 6 years, including those required by statute in factories, mines, and plantations; for office workers, and voluntary creches developed with government assistance. Section 4, "Policy Issues," addresses the need for governments to recognize their role in fostering child development, describes Tamil Nadu's child welfare policy, and details the need, current coverage, and gaps in child welfare services. Section 5, "Implementation Issues," discusses problems in implementing large-scale ICDS and TINP programs, including community mobilization and participation, gaps in coverage, child care worker motivation, and the need for worker training. Section 6, "The Challenge Ahead," provides suggestions for building on present strengths to make further progress in Tamil Nadu, including the use of Total Quality Management, stakeholder participation to build consensus on goals, empowerment of stakeholders and improved accountability, and involvement of non-governmental agencies. Contains 25 references. (KB)

Background: Several lines of evidence indicate an important role for vitamin D in the prevention of a range of diseases. Blood vitamin D levels show clear seasonal variation; however, data on the determinants of vitamin D status for each season are limited. We investigated the association between lifestyle and serum vitamin D concentration by season in Japanese workers.Methods: Subjects were 312 men and 217 women aged 21 to 67 years who worked in municipal offices in Northern Kyushu, Japan and participated in a periodic checkup in July or November. Multiple linear regression analysis was used to examine the association between serum 25-hydroxivitamin D concentrations and lifestyle factors for each season.Results: Mean serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D concentration was 27.4 ng/ml (68.4 nmol/L) and 21.4 ng/ml (53.4 nmol/L) for workers surveyed in July and November, respectively (P < 0.001); the prevalence of vitamin D deficiency (<20 ng/ml) was 9.3% and 46.7%, respectively (P < 0.001). In November, dietary vitamin D intake (in both sexes) and nonsmoking and physical activity (in men) were significantly associated with higher concentrations of serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D. In summer, fish/shellfish intake was associated with higher serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D concentrations in women.Conclusions: Vitamin D deficiency is common in Japanese workers during seasons with limited sunlight. The lifestyle correlates of favorable vitamin D status in November were physical activity, dietary vitamin D intake, and nonsmoking.   

Almost half of the Latino immigrants working in the United States are women. However, studies concerning the work experiences of Latinas are almost absent in the literature. This article reports the findings from a qualitative study using eight focus groups (n = 53) of Latina immigrant workers. The focus group transcripts were analyzed using the grounded theory approach in which themes emerge from iterative readings of the transcripts by a group of investigators. This study identified themes related to excessive workload, familiar work/unfamiliar hazards, cultural tensions, lack of health care, pregnancy, sexual harassment, and family obligations/expectations. The responses of the Latina workers in this study clearly indicated that they live within a complex web of stressors, both as workers and as women. The increased economic opportunities that come with immigration to the United States are accompanied by many opportunities for exploitation, especially if they are undocumented. It is hoped that the findings of this study will raise awareness regarding these issues and spur further work in this area. (Contains 1 table.)

The first nationwide research into prostitution in Ghana has been completed by Dr. Matilida Pappoe. She has found that there has been exponential growth in prostitution over the past three years in the country. While 10 years ago, people would not openly talk about prostitution, now that people's friends are increasingly entering the trade, people freely discuss prostitution. The research indicates that this growth is linked to the negative effects of macroeconomic policies aimed at economic growth, such as structural adjustment. For example, 39 of 121 sex workers studied claimed to have begun working as a prostitute after their trading businesses collapsed. Study findings suggest a high level of AIDS awareness among Ghanaian prostitutes. Prostitutes in Ghana are considered to be either seaters or roamers. Seaters are a loosely organized group of women who tend to work from a common compound, attracting customers by sitting in the doorway of their rooms. They typically report to an older retired sex worker who settles disputes and raises credit if one of the women must pay a police fine. Seaters are largely 30-45 years old and work in industrial centers. Roamers, however, tend to be 20-30 years old, work in coastal towns, and are usually better educated. They move from place to place and are probably at lower risk of contracting HIV due to the higher rates they charge and the correspondingly lower number of clients they entertain. Roamers seem to have higher rates of condom use and clients who are aware of the dangers. Roamers, too, are not organized as a group and may even often be highly competitive. Their work in the isolation of hotels makes them particularly vulnerable. Economic necessity has therefore increasingly drawn Ghanaian women into the sex trade, while Ghanaian men who typically support two or three women in exchange for sex, but can no longer do so due to current economic conditions, turn to occasional sex with prostitutes. This paper notes that informal prostitution often paid in kind rather than cash also exists in Ghana. Before the recent nationwide growth in prostitution, most sex workers came from the Krobo tribe in eastern Ghana due most likely to a combination of economic and cultural factors. Increasing numbers now come from the central Ashanti region. Mention is made of the Akosombo Dam project during the 1960s which drew large numbers of women into prostitution to serve the desires of the thousands of migrant construction workers. PMID:12290769

Compensation for asbestos-related cancers occurring in occupationally-exposed workers is a global issue; this is also an issue in Korea. To provide basic information regarding compensation for workers exposed to asbestos, 60 cases of asbestos-related occupational lung cancer and mesothelioma that were compensated during 15 yr; from 1993 (the year the first case was compensated) to 2007 by the Korea Labor Welfare Corporation (KLWC) are described. The characteristics of the cases were analyzed using the KLWC electronic data and the epidemiologic investigation data conducted by the Occupational Safety and Health Research Institute (OSHRI) of the Korea Occupational Safety and Health Agency (KOSHA). The KLWC approved compensation for 41 cases of lung cancer and 19 cases of mesothelioma. Males accounted for 91.7% (55 cases) of the approved cases. The most common age group was 50-59 yr (45.0%). The mean duration of asbestos exposure for lung cancer and mesothelioma cases was 19.2 and 16.0yr, respectively. The mean latency period for lung cancer and mesothelioma cases was 22.1 and 22.6yr, respectively. The major industries associated with mesothelioma cases were shipbuilding and maintenance (4 cases) and manufacture of asbestos textiles (3 cases). The major industries associated with lung cancer cases were shipbuilding and maintenance (7 cases), construction (6 cases), and manufacture of basic metals (4 cases). The statistics pertaining to asbestos-related occupational cancers in Korea differ from other developed countries in that more cases of mesothelioma were compensated than lung cancer cases. Also, the mean latency period for disease onset was shorter than reported by existing epidemiologic studies; this discrepancy may be related to the short history of occupational asbestos use in Korea. Considering the current Korean use of asbestos, the number of compensated cases in Korea is expected to increase in the future but not as much as developed countires.   

Abstract in spanish Se determinan los coeficientes de transferencia de materia y de energía presentes en el proceso de secado por contacto con una superficie caliente de textiles delgados. Se usaron cuatro textiles de diferentes densidades y datos experimentales del proceso de secado. Se determinaron los coeficientes para evaluar el comportamiento de cada tipo de material textil en función de la temperatura del secador cilindrico. Los materiales textiles presentan densidades entre 144 y 23 (more) 0g/m², y el comportamiento de los coeficientes de transferencia con respecto a la temperatura del cilindro, tienen similitud para los textiles con densidad menor a 200g/m² presentando mayores valores del coeficiente de transferencia de energía y menores de transferencia de materia en comparación con los de mayor densidad. Abstract in english The mass transfer coefficient and of energy coefficient by contact presents during the drying process of a thin textile were determined. Four textile material of different density and experimental data of the drying process were used. The coefficients were determined to evalúate the behavior of each type of textile material in function of the temperature of the cylindrical dryer. The textile materials present densities between 144 y 230g/m², and the behavior of the tran (more) sfer coefficients with respect to the temperature of the cylinder is similar to that found for textile with density smaller than 200g/m² presented higher valúes of the heat transfer coefficients and lower valúes of the mass transfer coefficients, compared to the material of higher density.

The determination of blood lead levels was included in a Swiss population survey on cardiovascular risk factors in 1984-1985; 931 men and 843 women aged 25 to 75 years participated in the study. Mean blood lead levels ({plus minus}SD) were 0.63 {plus minus} 0.27 {mu}mole/liter for men and 0.44 {plus minus} 0.19 {mu}mole/liter for women, respectively, with a slight increase with age for both sexes. These values are below the maximum level recommended by the Commission of the European Community in 1977; 18 cases were found with blood lead higher than 1.5 {mu}mole/liter and in six of these, a professional exposure was suspected. Smoking habits, drinking habits, and consumption of diary products were selected as lifestyle descriptors and educational level, occupational category, and size of the community as sociodemographic indicators. Smoking and alcohol consumption show a direct association with blood lead, consuming dairy products an inverse one. Occupation and level of education are significantly related to blood lead only for men, blue-collar workers and less-educated men being more exposed. A higher blood lead level in cities was only found for women. The lifestyle indicators showed a consistently stronger effect on blood lead than sociodemographic indicators. For mean, smoking has an effect on blood lead for blue-collar workers much stronger than that for nonindustrial employees and may compound in some way the professional exposure to lead.

Objectives: To explore the separate and combined effects of work and family stress on menstrual disorders and fibrocystic changes in Chinese working women. Methods: Data were obtained from a cross-sectional study of 1,642 female railway workers. The Effort-Reward Imbalance Questionnaire and Family Stress Scale were used to measure work stress and family stress, respectively; the menstrual and breast conditions were evaluated by gynecologic interview and a medical examination. Multivariate log-binomial regression was performed to analyze the associations. Results: Menstrual disorders were found in 59.3% of female workers, and 54.8% had fibrocystic changes. The risk of menstrual disorders was significantly elevated with respect to work and family stress. The highest risk was found in the group with combined exposure to both work and family stress (RR with 95% CI 1.33 (1.18-1.49)). No significant association between stress and fibrocystic changes was observed. Conclusions: Menstrual disorders were associated with stress from work and family life, but not fibrocystic changes, in working women. Tailored intervention measures reducing the burden of stressful psychosocial work and family environment are needed to improve women's reproductive well-being.   

This book gives a progress report on the many and original contributions of radiation chemistry to the fundamental knowledge of the vast domain of chemical reactions and its applications. Radiation chemistry techniques indeed make it possible to elucidate detailed physicochemical mechanisms in inorganic and organic chemistry (including in space) and in biochemistry. Moreover, this comprehension is applied in materials science to precisely control syntheses by radiation, such as radiopolymerization, radio-grafting, specific treatment of surfaces (textiles, paintings, inks,..), synthesis of complex nano-materials, degradation of environmental pollutants and radioresistance of materials for nuclear reactors. In life sciences, the study of the effects of radiation on bio-macromolecules (DNA, proteins, lipids) not only permits the comprehension of normal or pathological biological mechanisms, but also the improvement of our health. In particular, many advances in cancer radiotherapy, in the radioprotection of nuclear workers and the general population, as well as in the treatment of diseases and the radiosterilization of drugs, could be obtained thanks to this research. Abundantly illustrated and written in English by top international specialists who have taken care to render the subjects accessible, this work will greatly interest those curious about a scientific field that is new to them and students attracted by the original and multidisciplinary aspects of the field. At a time when radiation chemistry research is experiencing spectacular development in numerous countries, this book will attract newcomers to the field. (authors)

In response to a request from Local 1374 of the Amalgamated Clothing and Textile Workers Union of America, a survey of possible hazards from chemicals used in acoustical resinated fiber-insulation manufacturing was conducted at the Sheller-Globe facility (formerly Allen Industries, Inc.) in Herrin, Illinois. Exposure levels detected for 1,1,1-trichloroethane ranged from 0.32 to 0.63 parts per million (ppm); vinylidene chloride, not detectable; formaldehyde, below detectable levels; hexamethylenetetramine, detected in only one of five samples at a concentration of 0.044 ppm; ammonia from 2 to 35 ppm; phenol, below the limit of detection; carbon monoxide, less than 1 to 4 ppm; total particulates from 2.26 to 13.78 mg/m/sup 3/; asbestos, no detectable levels; and toluene-diisocyanate from nondetectable to 0.0036 ppm. The authors conclude that there was a potential for overexposure to nuisance particulate in one area of the facility. They recommend that increased emphasis be placed on reducing dust exposures through proper work practices and engineering controls.

Antimony trioxide (Sb2O3) is used as a flame retardant in the textile industry. We carried out a study in a factory for the evaluation of antimony (Sb) occupational exposure and urinary levels in workers exposed to Sb2O3. Urinary levels and airborne Sb2O3 personal exposure values were very low when compared to international occupational standards (500 microg/m3, as Sb). The range of forty-two personal exposures was 0.01-0.55 microg Sb/m3, while twenty-four area samplings ranged from Sb2O3 exposure and the difference in urinary Sb levels at the beginning and end of the workshift on the day the flame retardant was utilized. This lack of correlation could be due to low airborne Sb2O3 levels and Sb dietary intake, estimated as 3 microg/day in UK, but not yet fully investigated in Italy. Any accidental occupational Sb per os exposure however low, could further enhance the lack of correlation. PMID:11878750

BACKGROUND: Most of the available instruments aimed to assess risk exposure associated with work-related musculoskeletal disorders were originally developed in English, which makes their use difficult in countries such as Brazil. OBJECTIVE: To test the clinimetric properties of the Quick Exposure Check (QEC) instrument previously adapted into Brazilian-Portuguese. METHOD: The original version of the QEC was translated and cross-culturally adapted into Brazilian-Portuguese and tested with 107 workers in two sectors of a textile factory. The internal consistency and construct validity were tested using only baseline values from the participants while reproducibility (reliability and agreement) was evaluated in a test-retest design with a seven-day interval. RESULTS: The adapted version presented appropriate levels of internal consistency (Cronbach's ?=0.76); moderate intra-observer reliability (ICCs ranging from 0.41 to 0.60); moderate to substantial inter-observer reliability (ICCs ranging between 0.62 and 0.86). The standard error of the measurement (SEM) ranged from 8.3 to 11.2 points. Moderate levels of construct validity (Pearson's r=0.38) were observed. CONCLUSIONS: The Brazilian version of the QEC has appropriate clinimetric properties for measuring different levels of exposure to ergonomics risk factors and can now be used by Brazilian researchers and Occupational Health professionals. PMID:23032294

A factory survey was conducted in three provinces in China from 1985 to 1989. The time-weighted average toluene concentrations in breathing zone air were monitored by diffusive sampling, whereas hippuric acid (HA) concentrations in shift-end urine samples were measured by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Exposed workers (456 men and women) were those for whom toluene (up to 548 ppm toluene) accounted for greater than or equal to 90% of total exposure (by vapor concentration in ppm), whereas 517 nonexposed controls were recruited from the same factories or from factories of the same region. There was a linear correlation between the intensity of toluene exposure and HA concentration in the shift-end urine. Comparison of the results with findings in the literature shows that the toluene-induced increase in urinary HA concentration among workers in China is significantly smaller than the published values, whereas HA concentrations in urine samples from nonexposed controls are comparable to the levels previously reported.

The aim of this study is to assess the number of workers potentially at risk of bladder cancer in Italy. A detailed list of codes of economic activities entailing bladder cancer risk was developed on the basis of the excess risk resulting from two different pooled analysis (separately for men and women) in Europe. Firms and the number of blue-collars potentially at risk were selected from the ISPESL (National Institute for Occupational Safety and Prevention) database of enterprises. The number of blue-collars likely exposed to bladder cancer risk in Italy is about 443,849 (67.88% men). This evaluation, based on administrative sources rather than on direct measures of exposure, is likely to overestimate potential exposure to carcinogenic agents. ISPESL database of enterprises, which permits the identification and territorial localization of each local unit, is helpful to characterize the current situations at risk for the health of workers.   

Abstract in english Background: During climacteric, the presence of disabling symptoms and the higher incidence of chronic diseases, may impair the job performance of women. Aim: To relate job performance levels with the climacteric period and associated factors in working women aged from 42 to 55 years old. Subjects and Methods: In a cross-sectional and correlative design, 64 secretaries at two public organizations at the Eighth Region of Chile, were assessed using the following instruments (more) : Menopause-Specific Quality of Life Questionnaire (University of Toronto), adapted for Chile by PROSAM, Climacteric Self-care Questionnaire, Perceived Social Support Scale and Biodemographics Variables Questionnaire. A Perception of the Job Performance Scale was applied to the persons that superintended these woman. Results: The Department Heads or persons supervising these women, determined that most workers did their work well. The best evaluations were given by older bosses. Most women under study showed a moderate alteration of the Menopause Quality of Life. A deficit of self-care during the climacteric period was detected in 92.2%. The perceived social support from friends correlated with job performance. Menopause quality of life in its different domains had no correlation with job performance variable. Conclusions: No association between changes during the climacteric period and job performance was observed among women participating in this study (Rev Méd Chile 2005; 133: 315-22)

BACKGROUND: Accidental needle-stick injuries (NSIs) are a hazard for health-care workers and general public health. Nursing workers are at high risk for occupational exposure to blood-borne pathogens (such as HBV, HCV and HIV) via sharp injuries of needle stick. METHODS: This descriptive analytical cross-sectional study was done on 158 nursing workers of Khanevadeh Hospital in Tehran to assess needle stick injuries prevalence and related factors via a questionnaire in 2008. Data were processed through SPSS 16.0software using Pearson’s correlation coefficient, chi-square, independent t, and Fisher exact tests. RESULTS: About 40.5% of all participants were men and 59.5% were women. Mean age was 33.26 (8.03) years; 56.96% of participants had history of at least one needle stick injury and 22.15% of them had needle stick injury during last year. Injections were the most common action resulted to exposure (24.44%) and recapping of needles was at the second order (21.11%). Operation room had the highest prevalence (18.9%) of needle stick injuries among all wards of hospital. Emergency ward and ICU were next orders (15.6%). Exposed people believed that the most important and basic reason for needle stick injuries was patients crowdedness and hospital chaos (37.8%). There was no relation between ages, gender, years of professional life, education level and needle stick injuries but men used latex gloves less than women and did recapping needles more than them. CONCLUSIONS: The needle-stick injuries in nursing workers of Khanevadeh hospital (Tehran) were significantly less than other similar studies in Iran. PMID:10887846

Abstract in portuguese OBJETIVO: Este estudo avaliou função física e dor em trabalhadores com síndrome do impacto através das versões brasileiras dos questionários "Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand" (DASH) e McGill de dor. MÉTODO: Vinte e sete trabalhadores (18 homens e 9 mulheres; idade média de 33,26 ± 6,49 anos) de uma linha de produção de uma indústria de material escolar foram avaliados. O tempo de duração de dor no ombro era de 31,74 ± 32,92 meses e o tempo de tr (more) abalho na indústria era de 11,08 ± 6,41 anos. O questionário DASH foi utilizado para avaliar o estado funcional e os sintomas dos membros superiores dos trabalhadores. Através do questionário McGill de dor, a dor foi quantificada pelo número de palavras escolhidas e pelo índice de classificação da dor (ICD). RESULTADOS: As mulheres apresentaram maiores escores (P Abstract in english OBJECTIVE: This study assessed physical function and pain in male and female workers with shoulder impingement syndrome using the Brazilian Portuguese versions of the Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand (DASH) and McGill pain questionnaires. METHODS: Twenty-seven assembly line workers (18 men and 9 women; mean age of 33.26 ± 6.49 years) in the school supply industry were evaluated. The duration of the shoulder impingement pain was 31.74 ± 32.92 months and the amo (more) unt of time of the workers in this industry was 11.08 ± 6.41 years. The DASH questionnaire was used to evaluate functional status and symptoms of the upper limbs of the workers. Using the McGill Pain Questionnaire, the pain was quantified by the number of words chosen and by the pain rating index (PRI). RESULTS: The women presented higher scores (P

ABSTRACT: BACKGROUND: Interventions designed to prevent HIV and STIs in female sex-workers (FSWs) reach women after they formally enter the sex-trade. We aimed to characterize the pattern of sexual behaviour among FSWs from first-sex to when they identify as sex-workers (transition period) in a region with traditional (historically characterized by dedication into sex-work at first-sex) and non-traditional forms of sex-work. METHODS: We conducted a cross-sectional survey of 246 traditional and 765 non-traditional FSWs across three districts in Karnataka, India. We performed univariate and multivariate logistic regression to profile FSWs most likely to engage in a commercial first-sex before identifying as a sex-worker. Sexual life-course patterns were distinguished using univariate and multivariate linear regression based on key events associated with length of transition period. RESULTS: Overall, 266 FSWs experienced a commercial first-sex, of whom 45.9% (95% CI: 38.2,53.7) continued a long-term relationship with the first partner. In adjusted analysis, traditional FSWs were more likely to experience a commercial first-sex (AOR 52.5, 95% CI: 27.4,100.7). The average transition time was 8.8 years (SD 3.9), but there was considerable variability between respondents. Among women who experienced a commercial first-sex, a slower transition was independently associated with non-traditional sex-work, the presence of long-term partnerships during the transition period, and ongoing partnerships at time of entry into sex-work. In the absence of a commercial first-sex, a faster transition was associated with traditional sex-work and the dissolution of long-term partnerships, while a slower transition was associated with the presence of long-term partnerships and widowhood. Only18.5% (95% CI: 12.7,26.2) and 47.3% (95% CI: 32.7,62.3) of women reported 'always' condom use with their long-term and occasional partners during the transition period, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: FSWs identify as sex-workers several years after becoming sexually active, even when the first-sex is commercial in nature. Long-term partnerships are common after a commercial first-sex, and are associated with a delay in formally entering the sex-trade. The findings call for a better understanding of HIV/STI risk before FSWs identify as sex-workers, and an adaptive programme to reach this period of vulnerability. PMID:23020789

Stimuli-responsive polymers (SRPs) are smart materials which can show noticeable changes in their properties with environmental stimulus variations. Novel functionalities can be delivered to textiles by integrating smart SRPs into them. SRPs inclusive of thermal-responsive polymers, moisture-responsive polymers, thermal-responsive hydrogels, pH-responsive hydrogels, and light-responsive polymers have been applied in textiles to improve or achieve textile smart functionalities. The functionalities include aesthetic appeal, comfort, textile soft display, smart controlled drug release, fantasy design with color changing, wound monitoring, smart wetting properties and protection against extreme variations in environmental conditions. In this review, the applications of SRPs in the textile and clothing sector are elucidated; the associated constraints in fabrication processes for textiles and their potential applications in the near future are discussed.

It is an important task of people connected with the textiles and clothing sector to work on the feasible ways to trim down the carbon footprint in each phase of a textile product?s life cycle. One of the possible ways to decipher the reduction of carbon footprint of textiles and clothing sector is to recycle the textile process waste and also to recycle at the end-of-life of textile products and these aspects are exemplified in this paper in detail. Detailed investigation of the possibilities, barriers, challenges to recycle textile waste materials are discussed in this paper with relevant case studies. For recycling of process waste, an example was modelled by recycling the process waste and the carbon footprint results were demonstrated with the aid of 7.3 version of SIMAPRO LCA (Life c...

Abstract in spanish Se analizan las condiciones laborales y de salud de los trabajadores de la Industria Maquiladora de Exportación en México. Hace uso intensivo de la fuerza de trabajo mayoritariamente femenina,constituye la segunda fuente de divisas. Ilustra una tendencia dominante en el neoliberalimo respecto a condiciones de trabajo y salud, permite apreciar el impacto de la generalizada flexibilización laboral y del creciente cambio tecnológico. El panorama de los riesgos y exigenci (more) as es complejo. En la organización laboral persisten exigencias del taylorismo, los riesgos químicos son múltiples y con probables efectos que rebasan el ámbito laboral, también existen exigencias de trabajo repetitivo y posiciones incómodas. Las repercusiones en la salud muestran elevados índices de morbilidad por demanda en los servicios de seguridad social, entre 2 y 4 veces más altos que para otros trabajadores industriales. Padecimientos asociados al estrés ocupan elevado porcentaje entre los motivos de consulta. También se muestran repercusiones en las familias, el bajo peso al nacer de los hijos es un riesgo 2.8 veces mayor para obreras de la maquila respecto de otros grupos de trabajadoras. Los accidentes laborales alcanzan cifras elevada y llegando a ser la segunda causa de consulta en algunos casos. Este análisis permite identificar algunas tendencias que en la salud laboral pueden ser importantes en los próximos años para amplios grupos de trabajadores. Abstract in english This paper discusses health and working conditions of workers in the export-oriented "maquiladora" industry in Mexico. The work is intensive and performed mostly by women. It is the country's second largest source of foreign exchange. The "maquiladora" industry illustrates the effect of neoliberalism on working and health conditions, unveiling the impact of overall flexibilization of labor and growing technological changes. The situation for risks and demands is complex. (more) Taylorist demands persist in work organization, with multiple chemical risks and probable effects beyond the workplace. There are also demands from repetition strain and uncomfortable positions. Effects on workers' health include high morbidity rates as reflected by demands on the social health/welfare services, some two to four times greater than for other industrial workers. There is a high percentage of stress-related illnesses as the reason for medical consultation. There are also effects on workers' families. Low birthweight is 2.8 times higher in women who work in the "maquila" than in other labor groups. Work-related accidents are common, the second most frequent cause for medical consultation in some cases. The analysis identifies some of the tendencies in which workers' health could be important in coming years for large contingents of workers.

Abstract in portuguese Esse artigo apresenta um estudo de caso sobre as condições de trabalho e saúde de trabalhadoras a ex-trabalhadoras da lavanderia de uma indústria do setor químico. A função principal dessas mulheres é lavar as roupas dos operários das áreas de produção e de manutenção que manipulam com mercúrio metálico, constituindo-se em áreas de risco. Nosso objetivo é mostrar como as mulheres são atingidas nesse processo de trabalho. Para isso realizamos uma anális (more) e do processo de trabalho e das condições ambientais da lavanderia, uma avaliação clínica das trabalhadoras, bem como entrevistas individuais com as mesmas, a fim de melhor apreender o objeto da pesquisa, através da linguagem das entrevistadas. As avaliações e análises nos permitiram verificar que esse trabalho é prejudicial à saúde, tanto pela história de vida de cada uma, como também pelas condições atuais em que é desenvolvido na empresa. Com esse artigo nos propomos também mostrar que os conhecimentos sobre a atividade (o conteúdo e os riscos) que essas mulheres realizam, sobre seus problemas específicos e sobre suas formas de adoecimento tendem a ser dissimulados por um conjunto de fatores afetos às relações de gênero. Abstract in english This article presents a case study on working and health conditions of female workers and former workers in the laundry at a sodium chlorate plant. The women's main function was to wash uniforms of workmen who handled metallic mercury during production and maintenance. The aim of this study is to show the health effects of this work process by analyzing workplace conditions, evaluating clinical aspects in the women, and performing individual interviews in order to obtain (more) more precise information based on their personal experience. The authors demonstrate how harmful this type of work is to the women workers' health, posing a serious risk for them in particular and workers' conditions in general in the factory. They also point out that most of what is known about women's occupational activity (in terms of its contents and risks), in addition to their specific problems and different diseases, may be disguised by gender relationships.

In this paper, a generalized logistic regression model for correlated observations is used to analyze epidemiologic data on the frequency of spontaneous abortion among a group of women office workers. The results are compared to those obtained from the use of the standard logistic regression model that assumes statistical independence among all the pregnancies contributed by one woman. In this example, the correlation among pregnancies from the same woman is fairly small and did not have a substantial impact on the magnitude of estimates of parameters of the model. This is due at least partly to the small average number of pregnancies contributed by each woman.

During 1992-95, in Ohio, outreach workers at various sites in Dayton and Columbus interviewed 749 men and 297 women about their drug use practices, sexual behaviors, drug-sex behaviors, and history of some sexually transmitted diseases (STDs). Researchers aimed to assess baseline behaviors of injection drug users and crack cocaine users. 73.2% of the men and 57.2% of the women used injection drugs. 26.8% of the men and 42.8% of the women used crack cocaine. About 25% of both groups were homeless. 79.7% of men and 68.7% of the women were Black. Among men, Blacks were more likely than Whites to have had syphilis and gonorrhea or any STD (6.2% vs. 2%, 48.6% vs. 19.1%, and 53.6% vs. 29%, respectively; p 0.05). Among women, Blacks were more likely to have had trichomonas (40.2% vs. 26.1%; p 0.05). For men, variables associated with not always using condoms in the last 30 days included STD history (odds ratio [OR] = 0.53; p = 0.0069), cohabitation (OR = 0.13; p = 0.00001), and injection drug use (when compared with crack cocaine use) (OR = 0.52; p = 0.0063); for women, they were exchanging sex for drugs (OR = 0.31; p = 0.0252) and cohabitation (OR = 0.22; p = 0.0157). Women who traded sex for money were significantly more likely to always use condoms in the last 30 days than those who did not (OR = 4.48; p = 0.0008). These findings show that injection drug users and crack cocaine users face a high risk of acquiring and transmitting STDs. They suggest that intervention efforts to target these two groups need to be sensitive to ethnic and gender differences. PMID:8836020

Research has extensively documented the employment barriers facing immigrants in Canada. Less attention is paid to the employment strategies that immigrants deploy in the host labour market. To address this gap in the literature, two projects are conducted to examine how immigrant women learn to optimize their labour market outcomes. Both projects employ a combination of life history style interviews and institutional ethnographic analysis. Life history interviews offer women ample space to (re)construct their experiences in relation to the social economic and political contexts. Institutional ethnographic analysis starts with people's experiences, but aims to explicate the social processes and practices constituting people's experiences. The studies find that the women often resort to re-training and re-education as a means to improve their employment prospects. The women's educational experiences help articulate them to what I call a credential and certificate regime (CCR), or the social processes and practices that attribute differential values to credentials and certificates produced at different places. The author argues that in the era of globalization, CCR helps manage the Canadian labour force with an increasing number of immigrant workers, thereby preserving patriarchal and white supremacist power. The CCR that the author explicates is predominantly Canadian centred. It is developed out of gatekeepers' anxiety towards entrance controlling in various sectors that demand and indeed produce local certificates. The CCR also speaks of a transnational trend of credentialization, which is spearheaded by influential international organizations and companies located in the economic west. Both trends have helped create an expansive training market that is instrumental in feminizing immigrant women's labour. In this paper, the author also shows different ways in which the CCR in Canada both services and disservices immigrant women, which makes it imperative to rethink the values and practices of training for immigrant women. (Contains 1 table and 1 note.)

To determine the specific causes of mortality in the rubber industry with emphasis on the associations between cancer sites, ischemic heart, and cerebrovascular disorders and work places, A cohort of 1598 rubber workers (934 men, 664 women) were followed up for mortality from 1 January 1973 to 31 December 1997. Work histories of cohort members at the relevant work place were coded and computed by the factory personnel concerned and the record incorporated all job changes with relevant years. Standardized mortality ratios (SMRs) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs), controlling for age and calendar year and stratified by work area (employment in respective work areas for at least one year) were calculated from the reference rate. Significant increases in mortality were found for lung cancer among male workers in the curing department (16 deaths, 6.7 expected, SMR 2.39), liver cancer among male workers in the rubber overshoes department (2 deaths, 0.2 expected, SMR 10.00), cerebrovascular disorders among male workers in the rubber overshoes department (4 deaths, 1.0 expected, SMR 4.00), and cerebrovascular disorders among female workers in the mixing and milling department (7 deaths, 2.0 expected, SMR 3.50). Mortality from the remaining cancers was not substantially increased in any of the work departments. Mortality from several diseases was associated with specific work departments. Some of these associations have been reported previously and they may be causally related to occupational exposure in this industry, for example, lung cancer and the curing department. The study also found new risks, such as a possible increase in cerebrovascular disorders.   

Breast and cervical cancer are the most common causes of cancer mortality among women worldwide, but they are largely preventable. There are limited data on knowledge and practices on screening methods of breast and cervical cancers among female health care workers in Sri Lanka, in spite of having an organized screening programme islandwide. A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 219 female health care workers including public health midwives (68.9%) selected from 6 districts in Sri Lanka using convenient sampling methods. A self-administered questionnaire was used as a pre-test in a capacity building training programme to collect the data. The mean (SD) duration of work experience of the respondents was 12 years and 52.5% were aged over 35 years. Most (76.7%) were married, and a family history of cancer was reported by 24.2%. Over 98% knew about self breast examination. Even though 84.1% practiced it, only 47.9% practiced it on a monthly basis. Clinical breast examination and mammography were known by 94.1% and 64.3% respectively. Only 19.2% had undergone a clinical breast examination within one year and 3.6% had ever undergone a mamography. Only 76.3% knew that a Pap smear detects precancerous stage of cervical cancer. Among 169 married workers, 73.4% had never had a Pap smear and only 17.2% had got it done within the preceding 5 years. Among the reasons for not doing a pap smear within 5 years, 47.0% believed it as not necessary, 17.3% due to fear/dislike, 23.2% as not having symptoms, 3% had not known about it and 3% not known about availability of services. The study findings suggest that the knowledge and practices on breast and cervical cancer screening methods among female health care workers need to be improved. Considering the role that health care workers play in communicating health behaviors to the general public, strengthening health education interventions for this group of females is essential. PMID:22799304

The bibliography contains citations concerning toxicity associated with textiles. Vapors from burning flame-resistant fabric, magnesium vapors from polyester foam, and toxic emissions from insulation, clothing, and upholstery are described and evaluated. Health effects resulting from formaldehyde treatment of fabrics for crease-resistance, lubricant addition to polyester fabrics, and exposure to textile mill effluents and airborne particulates from textile mill rooms are examined. (Contains a minimum of 150 citations and includes a subject term index and title list.)

...SEASONAL AGRICULTURAL WORKER PROTECTION Registration...Farm Labor Contracting Activities Additional Obligations...seasonal agricultural workers who are not fluent in...pertaining to any contracting activity or worker protection under...

Human trafficking is both a human rights violation and the fastest growing criminal industry in the world. This article examines cross-border trafficking of girls and women in Nepal to India. It gives a brief explanation of what is meant by trafficking and then looks at the reasons behind trafficking. In Nepal, women and children are trafficked internally and to India and the Middle East for commercial sexual exploitation or forced marriage, as well as to India and within the country for involuntary servitude as child soldiers, domestic servants, circus entertainment, and factory workers. Nepal and India are both signatories to international conventions and bound by domestic law to combat trafficking, and yet, this scourge continues. There are many laws in place, both in Nepal and India, w...

In the early decades of the twentieth century, a number of young Aboriginal women, of mixed descent, were brought down from Alice Springs in central Australia to the city of Adelaide, to work as domestic servants. Their mobility was a product of the colonizing project, inextricable from the very modernity that was discursively denied Aboriginal people at that time. Indeed, these domestic workers were young women whose journeys crossed all kinds of boundaries and frontiers, and whose very presence in the households of the colonizers was inherently destabilizing. While their journeys from the centre to the city have been all but invisible in feminist historiography of the frontier, this article argues the historical significance of a different kind of moving female frontier—one in whi...

Abstract Rotating night shift work is associated with increased risk of breast cancer, likely via circadian disruption. We hypothesized that circadian pathway genes influence breast cancer risk, particularly in rotating night shift workers. We selected 178 common variants across 15 genes pertinent to the circadian system. Using a mixed candidate- and tag-single nucleotide polymorphism approach, we tested for associations between these variants and breast cancer risk in 1,825 women within the Nurses' Health Study II cohort and investigated potential interactions between genotype and rotating shift-work in a subset of 1,318 women. Multiple-testing-adjusted p-values were obtained by permutation (n = 10,000). None of the selected variants was significantly associated with breast cancer risk. H...

Respondent driven sampling (RDS) is widely used for HIV behavioral research among sex workers, drug users, and other hidden populations, but has had limited application in immigrant populations in the U.S. In 2010, we used RDS to recruit undocumented Central American immigrant women in Houston, Texas for an HIV behavioral survey. Beginning with three initial participants we recruited 226 women within 16 weeks. Social networks were dense and participants adopted the recruitment system with reasonable ease. Homophily scores indicated moderate within-group preference by country of origin. However, cross-group recruitment was sufficient to achieve a diverse sample that attained equilibrium for all demographic and sexual behavior characteristics. Overall, RDS was easy to implement, attained a large sample in a relatively short period of time, and reached an otherwise hidden population. Our results suggest that RDS is an effective method for recruiting undocumented Latina immigrants for HIV behavioral surveys. PMID:22961500

Women who exchange sex for money, drugs, or goods are disproportionately infected with HIV and have high rates of illicit drug use. A growing body of research has underscored the primacy of environmental factors in shaping individual behaviors. HIV/STI rates among sex workers are influenced by environmental factors such as the physical (e.g., brothel) and economic (e.g., increased pay for unsafe sex) context in which sex work occurs. Exotic dance clubs (EDCs) could be a risk environment that is epidemiologically significant to the transmission of HIV/STIs among vulnerable women, but it is a context that has received scant research attention. This study examines the nature of the physical, social, and economic risk environments in promoting drug and sexual risk behaviors. Structured observa...

a Civil, industrial, chemical, general, nuclear, agricultural, architectural, ... material, metalurgical, ceramic, and textile engineering. b Agriculture, naval engineering or architecture, engineering technology, engineering mechanics, statistics, ...

...Goldschmidt Corp..... (S) Industrial (S) Hexadecanoic adhesive...G) Additive for (G) textile Polyalkyacrylate finishing...G) Colorant for (G) industrial Carbopolycycle- coatings...precipitant for polyethylenimine wastewater. dithiocarbamate,...

The bibliography contains citations concerning the recycling of fibrous and other waste materials from textile production. Citations discuss recycled materials such as cellulosic and polymeric wastes, cloth scraps, cottons, wools, and waste dusts for use in fabric products, building materials, thermal insulation, textile-reinforced materials, and geotextiles. Equipment for collecting, sorting, and processing textile wastes is also discussed. Citations concerning heat recovery and effluent treatment in the textile industry are covered in separate bibliographies. (Contains 50-250 citations and includes a subject term index and title list.) (Copyright NERAC, Inc. 1995)

The bibliography contains citations concerning the recycling of fibrous and other waste materials from textile production. Citations discuss recycled materials such as cellulosic and polymeric wastes, cloth scraps, cottons, wools, and waste dusts for use in fabric products, building materials, thermal insulation, textile-reinforced materials, and geotextiles. Equipment for collecting, sorting, and processing textile wastes is also discussed. Citations concerning heat recovery and effluent treatment in the textile industry are covered in separate bibliographies. (Contains 250 citations and includes a subject term index and title list.)

Conductive organic polymers are outstanding materials with exciting properties. Besides several other applications - especially in the field of high-performance electric devices and photovoltaic technology - they can be used for the creation of conductive textile materials. Commercial dispersions of such polymers can be applied to textile constructions in a downstream coating process leading to poor add-ons and relatively low conductivity. In contrast, the authors have developed strategies to deposit conductive polymers by an oxidative in situ polymerization directly on the textile surface. Here, poly(3,4-ethylene dioxythiophene) p-toluenesulfonic acid (PEDOT:PTSA) was durably immobilized on a textile polyester fleece following this new approach. The extremely high achievable add-ons lead ...

The bibliography contains citations concerning the recycling of fiberous and other waste materials from textile production. The use of recyclable materials such as cellulosic and polymeric wastes, cloth scraps, fiber waste, glass fiber wastes, and waste dusts for use in textile products, insulation, paneling and other building supplies, yarns, roping, and pavement materials are considered. Equipment for collecting, sorting, and processing textile wastes is also discussed. Heat recovery and effluent treatment in the textile industry are referenced in related bibliographies. (Contains 250 citations and includes a subject term index and title list.)

...HDM Furniture Industries, Mt. Airy, NC...HDM Furniture Industries, Morganton, NC...International Textile Group Greensboro, NC...High Cotton Enterprises, Fort Payne...Suntec Industries, Inc. Glasgow,...

Abstract in portuguese Ao analisar práticas educativas na assistência à mulher no climatério numa unidade ambulatorial no Rio de Janeiro, observamos que as construções de gênero operam de forma incisiva nas vivências das usuárias, que, por meio de imagens, símbolos e representações, expressaram o sentimento de perda em várias direções: insegurança diante dos sintomas de natureza física e psicológica antes não vivenciados; menos-valia pelo desprezo às suas queixas; medo do de (more) sconhecido quanto às representações negativas da menopausa. Tornar inteligíveis as representações sociais de um dado grupo sobre o objeto menopausa implica analisar a eficácia dos discursos em relação às mudanças fisiológicas da mulher nessa fase e iniciar um processo de troca entre população e profissionais no sentido de (re)construí-las a partir da crítica às representações dominantes que sustentam relações de poder, favorecendo a expressão dos sentimentos e emoções, de maneira a possibilitar à mulher ser sujeito ativo de sua saúde e ampliar o olhar e a sensibilidade dos profissionais da saúde. Abstract in english Having focusing on an interdisciplinary activity in climacteric women's attention in a health public organization in Rio de Janeiro between 1990-1995, we have observed that the gender's construction had a significant influence in women's daily lives and that most of them had a negative social representation of the menopause. They talked about their fears of the menopause consequences. When we know social representations about menopause, we can access the effectiveness of (more) the discourse about women's physicals and psychological changes during this period life and establish more efficient and communicative exchanges between all the people concerned and the health workers to build new social representations, and help women to express the emotions resulting from the "battle of mind" fought in all their relationships. This would firstly enable them to take an active part in their health promotion, and, secondly improve the way health's workers approach the matter.

Objective: One objective was to determine if cocaine-using women who did not maintain infant custody (NMC) would report more psychological distress, domestic violence, negative coping skills, lower social support and more childhood trauma than cocaine-using women who maintained custody (MC) of their infant. A second objective was to evaluate the relative contribution of psychosocial factors to infant placement. Methods: Psychosocial profiles of MC women (n = 144) were compared with NMC (n = 66) cocaine-using women. Subjects were low income, urban, African-American women who delivered an infant at a county teaching hospital. The Brief Symptom Inventory (BSI), an assessment of coping strategies (COPE), Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (MSPSS), Conflict Tactics Scale (CTS) and Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (CTQ) were administered. The associations of infant placement status to demographic factors, drug use and psychosocial measures were evaluated. Results: The NMC group reported greater overall psychological distress, psychoticism, somatization, anxiety and hostility than the MC group. The NMC group had more childhood neglect and physical abuse and used more negative coping strategies than the MC group. Lack of prenatal care [OR = 0.83, CI (0.75-0.91), p less than 0.0001], heavier prenatal cocaine use [OR = 2.55, CI (1.13-4.34), p less than 0.007], greater psychological distress [OR = 2.21, CI (1.13-4.34), p less than 0.02] and a childhood history of emotional neglect [OR = 1.10, CI (1.02-1.19), p less than 0.02] were associated with increased likelihood of loss of infant custody after control for other substance use and demographic variables. Conclusions: NMC women have more negative psychological and behavioral functioning post-partum than MC women. Less prenatal care and greater cocaine use, psychological distress and maternal childhood emotional neglect are associated with the post-partum placement of infants born to cocaine-using women. Practice implications: Results of this study indicate that poor, urban women who use cocaine prenatally display several measurable differences on psychosocial and behavioral risk factors based on child placement status. Among these risk factors heavier cocaine use, lack of prenatal care, more severe psychological symptoms and early childhood experiences of emotional neglect increase the likelihood of loss of infant custody. Routine, objective assessments of psychosocial and behavioral characteristics of women who use cocaine during pregnancy can aid Child Protective Service workers and clinicians by providing baseline data from which to tailor interventions and set improvement criteria for mother-child reunification.

ABSTRACT: BACKGROUND: Violence against women by intimate partners is still a public health problem. The study aims at finding out the prevalence of violence among women residing in Erbil city (Muslim culture) and in Ankawa sub-district (Christian culture), finding out the role of religion and culture on the prevalence, and finding out some other factors (like occupation of husband and wife, age at marriage, woman agreement for marriage, illegitimate relations of husband) that might be associated with violence. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was carried out in Erbil during the second half of the year 2011. Two groups were considered; group one (G1) included women residing in Ankawa sub-district (representing Christian culture), and group two (G2) included women residing in Erbil city (representing Muslim culture). A convenience method of sampling was used to collect the sample (250 women of each group). Questionnaire was designed to collect information about history of exposure to physical, sexual, and psychological violence, in addition to the related factors. These forms were distributed (by women of the Women's Union of Ankawa) in sealed envelopes to women attending the Mass in three churches located in Ankawa. Women of Erbil group were recruited from the maternity teaching hospital of Erbil. The same questionnaire was distributed to them by the same team. Binary logistic regression was used to show the independent effect of each factor on the prevalence of violence. RESULTS: Overall prevalence of violence (physical and/or sexual) in G2 (20.8%) was higher than that of G1 (18.8%). The prevalence of psychological violence was 40% in Erbil, which was significantly higher than the prevalence (24.8%) of Ankawa. The rates of physical and sexual violence were also higher in Erbil (18.4%, and 10.8% respectively) than rates of Ankawa (16.8% and 8% respectively). Factors found to be significantly associated with overall violence were: culture of Erbil, alcoholic husband, wife working as manual worker (compared with professionals), and having children. CONCLUSION: Violence against women is a serious public health issue. There was significant role of culture on the prevalence of violence. PMID:22984840

Abstract in spanish Objetivo: El trabajo a turnos induce hábitos de vida anómalos, lo cual se asocia al aumento de la morbilidad en los trabajadores. En este estudio se valoró el estado nutricional, los hábitos alimentarios y la actividad física de trabajadores hospitalarios sometidos a turnos. Ámbito: La población de estudio estuvo compuesta por 207 trabajadores con turno fijo de mañana y 210 con turno rotatorio (mañana, tarde y noche) seleccionados aleatoriamente entre 2.100 traba (more) jadores. Intervenciones: La ingesta dietética se determinó mediante cuestionario de frecuencia de consumo de alimentos autoadministrado. También se determinaron índice de masa corporal, parámetros lipídicos (colesterol total, colesterol HDL, colesterol LDL y triglicéridos), actividad física, edad y sexo. Resultados: Los trabajadores sometidos a turnicidad mostraron un mayor consumo de ternera, huevos, zumos y pastas. No se encontraron diferencias significativas en cuanto a niveles lipídicos, estado ponderal ni de actividad física entre los trabajos sometidos y no a turnicidad y no. El 62% de los hombres y el 37,2% de las mujeres mostraron sobrecarga ponderal (obesidad y sobrepeso). El 46% de los individuos de la muestra presentaron sedentarismo. Conclusiones: La turnicidad en los trabajadores hospitalarios influye sólo parcialmente en los hábitos alimentarios de dicho colectivo. Abstract in english Objective: Shift workers are known to have increased morbidity associated to wrong habits. In this study we have evaluated the nutritional status, food habits and physical activity in health shift workers. Subjects: 207 permanent morning-shift workers and 210 shift workers (3-shift system) were randomized selected from the 2,100 workers of the North Area of the Canary Island Sanitary Health System. Methods: Dietary intake was assessed by a self-registered food frequency q (more) uestionnaire. We also assessed Body Mass Index, blood lipid levels (total cholesterol, HDL cholesterol, LDL cholesterol and triglycerides), physical activity, age and sex. Results: Shift workers shown higher intake of red meat, eggs, fruit juices and pasta. No differences were observed in lipid levels, weight status and physical activity in relation to the shift working status. 62% of men and 37.2% of women were overweight or obese. 46% of the subjects were sedentary. Conclusions: Shift work system seems to have little influence on the food habits of health workers.

Objective: In a Japanese metropolis, we examined the effects of work-related factors and work-family conflict on depressive symptoms among working women living with young children. Methods: Data was derived from women (n=501) who lived with at least one preschool child and worked for 20 hours or more per week. As work-related factors, we chose job pressure, skill underutilization, dissatisfaction with personal income, inflexible work schedule, job insecurity, and relationships in the workplace. Depressive symptoms were assessed using the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale. The effects of work-related factors and work-family conflict on depressive symptoms were explored by hierarchical regression analysis. Results: Work-related factors except job pressure were significantly correlated with depressive symptoms. Multiple regression analyses revealed that women who had more frequent work-family conflict and more work-related stressors such as bad relationships in the workplace, job insecurity, and underutilization of skills were likely to have more depressive symptoms. Conclusions: Among women workers with young children, work-family conflict and various work-related factors such as perceived bad relationships at work, job insecurity, and underutilization of skills had a significant relationship with depressive symptoms. Much more research is needed to explore ways to support working mothers.   

This article assesses the impact of technological changes on women's employment in Bangladesh and Sri Lanka. The findings of the research initiated by UN University Institute for New Technologies were used to determine how globalization and technological change alter women's role in the society and the economy in two comparable yet contrasting economies. In Bangladesh and Sri Lanka, the manufacturing and service sectors have grown as a result of the globalization strategies of the two governments. The use of new technologies in work processes has been a function of the countries' participation in global trade, and high levels of foreign direct investment have been the source of much job creation. In both countries, a large proportion of the new industrial workforce consists of women. However, while creating new employment opportunities and improving pay and conditions for some women, jobs tend to be based on flexible, short-term forms of employment with serious health and safety risks. Furthermore, technological advancement like automation increases the number of unemployed "unskilled" workers. Lastly, these two countries seem unaware of the implications of new technology, which makes them vulnerable and weak participants in the global market. Therefore, awareness can be enhanced by a greater exposure to technology through work experience and good quality training. PMID:12179942

 Based on a qualitative study of pregnant and parenting women (n=26) with a history of substance use this paper focuses on a sub-sample of younger women, aged 19 -23 at the time of pregnancy. It focuses on these women's perception of becoming a mother and their perception of the relation to different staff members (such as social workers, visiting nurses, and addiction counsellors). Staff members, who focus on these women's new roles as responsible parents, but also on aspects related to their history of drug (mis-)use. Usually the combination of being a young mother with a history of substance use, lacking formal education, having poor economic resources and with the prospect of becoming a single mother, is seen as rather negative conditions for making sustainable positive life-changes. But it is our hypothesis that some of the women in the study succeed in leaving their drug-using lifestyle (which for most of the women include several years of dependency and misuse of cannabis, alcohol, amphetamine, ecstasy and heroin) because they manage to create a new arena of comfort based on their relation to their child.[1] All people take part in different social arenas. But an arena of comfort contributes with a non-judgemental and warm social context, in which the individual is accepted. Arenas of comfort can provide an experience of self-acceptance and acceptance from others and work as a buffer in relation to stressful life-experiences in other arenas. In the paper different elements of these arenas of comfort are presented and their possible contribution to maintaining a drug-free lifestyle is discussed.    [1] The concept of arena of comfort was first introduced by Simmons & Blyth in 1987 and further explored and developed by Call & Mortimer in 2001(Call, K. T. & Mortimer, J. T. (2001): Arenas of comfort in adolescence. Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, London)

...February 13, 2012, applicable to workers of Chartis Global Services...77 FR 13352). The subject workers are engaged in activities related to the supply of underwriting...certification applicable to workers and former workers of the...

...workers in the adult and dislocated worker programs? 663.115 Section...CONTINUED) ADULT AND DISLOCATED WORKER ACTIVITIES UNDER TITLE I OF THE WORKFORCE...Delivery of Adult and Dislocated Worker Services Through the...

...TA-W-64,458] Continental Structural Plastics, Including On-Site Leased Workers...to workers of Continental Structural Plastics, North Baltimore, Ohio. The workers...All workers of Continental Structural Plastics, including on- site leased...

Worker exposure to styrene was surveyed at Larson Industries Incorporated, Minnesota from February through March 1979. The company manufactures fiberglass reinforced plastic boats. There are 150 workers at the facility, 100 of these are in the production area, and 35% of the production workers are women. Workplace conditions, job types, production processes, past exposures, and medical and industrial surveillance programs were reviewed. A total of 67 charcoal-tube samples were collected and analyzed for styrene and acetone. Concentrations averaged 82.4 parts per million (ppm) and 64.4 ppm, respectively. Many of the styrene samples exceeded the OSHA standard of 100 ppm. The ventilation system failed to control styrene concentrations during winter months. Proper work practices were followed, but exposures were related to the type of job being performed. Charcoal-tube sampling was an effective and reliable technique. It is recommended that the general lamination areas be targeted for new engineering design to reduce styrene exposures and that a program that includes proper fitting and maintenance procedures for respirators be instituted.

Maximal oxygen uptake is generally accepted as the most valid and reliable index of cardiorespiratory fitness and functional aerobic capacity. The exercise test for measuring maximal oxygen uptake is unsuitable for screening tests in public heath examinations, because of the potential risks of exercise exertion and time demands. We designed this study to determine whether work-related physical activity is a potential predictor of maximal oxygen uptake, and to develop a maximal oxygen uptake equation using a non-exercise regression model for the cardiorespiratory fitness test in Korean adult workers. Study subjects were adult workers of small-sized companies in Korea. Subjects with history of disease such as hypertension, diabetes, asthma and angina were excluded. In total, 217 adult subjects (113 men of 21-55 years old and 104 women of 20-64 years old) were included. Self-report questionnaire survey was conducted on study subjects, and maximal oxygen uptake of each subject was measured with the exercise test. The statistical analysis was carried out to develop an equation for estimating maximal oxygen uptake. The predictors for estimating maximal oxygen uptake included age, gender, body mass index, smoking, leisure-time physical activity and the factors representing work-related physical activity. The work-related physical activity was identified to be a predictor of maximal oxygen uptake. Moreover, the equation showed high validity according to the statistical analysis. The equation for estimating maximal oxygen uptake developed in the present study could be used as a screening test for assessing cardiorespiratory fitness in Korean adult workers.   

The assessment and control of fetal exposure to radiation in the workplace is an issue that is complicated by both biological and political/social ramifications. As a result of the dramatic increase in the number of women employed as radiation workers during the past 10 years, many facilities using radioactive materials have instituted fetal protection programs with special requirements for female radiation workers. It is necessary, however, to ensure that any fetal protection program be developed in such a way as to be nondiscriminatory. A study has been initiated whose purpose is to balance the political/social and the biological ramifications associated with occupational protection of the developing embryo/fetus. Several considerations are involved in properly balancing these factors. These considerations include appropriate methods of declaring the pregnancy, training workers, controlling the dose to the embryo/fetus, measuring and calculating the dose to the embryo/fetus, and recording the pertinent information. Alternative strategies for handling these factors while ensuring maximum protection of the embryo/fetus and the rights and responsibilities of employees and employers are discussed.

Abstract in portuguese O presente artigo tem como objeto a camisola do dia, peça do enxoval da noiva feita exclusivamente para a noite de núpcias, usada entre finais do século XIX e meados do século XX. Consideramos, na qualidade de um bem patrimonial têxtil, que é um dos componentes centrais da "cultura material nupcial", carregando consigo um simbolismo associado ao lugar da mulher e do casamento na sociedade cristã moderna ocidental. Nossa atenção volta-se tanto para o saber fazer ( (more) a técnica do bordado), quanto para as memórias associadas. Procuramos entender a sua dimensão imaterial, para desvendarmos a rede de significados que a envolve. Abstract in english The goal of this article is to study the "camisola do dia" (wedding day nightdress), a piece of the bride's trousseau made especially for the wedding night, used from the late nineteenth century to the middle of the twentieth century. As a textile cultural good, we consider it one of the central components of the "wedding material culture", which carries a symbolism linked with the place of women and marriage in modern occidental Christian society. Our attention is turned (more) both to the know-how (the embroidery technique) and to social memories. We seek to understand its immaterial dimension to reveal the net of meanings that surround it.

The setting up of a medical cooperative in a squatter community in Davao City, Philippines, and the training of women from the community to serve as paramedical health visitors and family planning workers, is described. The clinic charges each family a small fee and sells drugs at cost. The health visitor program was initiated by the poor families themselves to reach those who could not come to the clinic. The 1st groups trained chose the name Kaunaunahang Katiwala ng Kalusugan, or First Trustees of Health, and they are called katiwala for short. Since 1973 about 80 of these women, usually about 30 years of age, with home and family responsibilities, and of low educational background, have bee n trained. The dialogic method of Paolo Fraire of Brazil is used, which focuses on the native intelligence of the student and emphasizes a mutual learning process on the part of both teacher and student. Upon graduation the katiwala take care of minor ailments, refer major problems to the clinic, distribute family planning information, and encourage sanitation and good health practices. The barrios are divided into districts and 2 katiwala assigned to each. They receive some compensation. The program has proved it is possible to train persons with little education to be effective health workers and free physicians and nurses for more serious cases. PMID:12277098

An oral history of life in the first half of the twentieth century in the shale mining communities of Mid and West Lothian, Scotland provided background information needed for a mortality study of these communities where the Scottish shale oil industry was located until 1963. Thirty-two semi-structured interviews with 41 old people provide a detailed socio-historical picture of life in an area dominated by this study. Much of the information is presented using quotations from the interviews. Housing conditions and perceptions of pollution are described. Details of working conditions, jobs and wages, focussing in particular on the shale industry, suggest that until the early 1920s shale workers were financially well off compared with workers elsewhere. Comparative wage levels then deteriorated until 1939. Women's activities, roles, domestic and work positions indicate that although women had little exposure to industrial hazards in the workplace, their standard of living was very low and they had to work extremely hard. Health and health care, diet, smoking and drinking habits, leisure and migrations are other factors which could affect mortality patterns. Comparisons with contemporary studies show that, although the shale communities were poor with bad living conditions compared to today, there is no evidence that they were any worse off than contemporary working class communities, and thus no reason to expect that overall mortality levels should be raised. 32 refs., 6 tabs.

The effect of tobacco and alcohol on the delta-amino levulinic dehydratase (ALA-D) activity and lead level in blood is studied in a population of workers with or without exposure to lead due to their work. The lead level in the blood of workers without exposure is about 15.9 +/- 1.7 micrograms/100 ml and is unaltered by sex. The ALA-D level for men and women is 289.7 +/- 15 U/100 ml and 255.9 +/- 10 U/100 ml respectively, the difference being due mainly to the smaller hematocrit for women. Without lead exposure smoking moderately does not change the ALA-D or the lead level, whereas alcoholic drink consumption increases the lead level but does not affect the ALA-D activity. When both factors concur the ALA-D activity decreases, while the lead level increases. With lead exposure, however, neither the ALA-D activity nor the lead level undergoes any change, with of without smoking and drinking, since the values have been completely altered by the exposure. A close relationship between ALA-D activity and lead level in blood has been found in each case.

Community research into women's experiences in the indoor commercial sex industry illustrated an urgent need for sexually transmitted infection (STI) and HIV education, prevention, testing, and treatment and culturally appropriate services to support the sexual and reproductive health of commercial sex workers (CSWs). This work also revealed that a high number of immigrant-primarily Asian-women are involved in the indoor sex industry. In response, the authors developed a community-academic research partnership to design and implement a blended outreach research program to provide STI and HIV prevention interventions for indoor CSWs and their clients. This Community Health Worker Model HIV Prevention and Health Promotion Program incorporated health education, primary care referrals, STI testing using self-swab techniques, and a point-of-care HIV screening test. Here the authors report on program implementation, design, and the experiences of participants and team members and provide research and vaccination recommendations for future work in this area. This work work affirms that community-based service providers can be a key entry point for indoor CSWs to access health care and sexual health promotion and education and may be a solution to missed opportunities to provide culturally and contextually appropriate education and services to this population. PMID:22885289

In this anthology, Chicana voices of the past and present illuminate the experiences of Mexican American women as they strive to integrate wage work, family life, and community engagement. Sections cover confrontations with the state through community action, court litigation, and union organizing; negotiating work, marriage, and children; stories of feminists and Mexican migrant workers; and activist struggles. Of particular educational interest are chapters on Raza Unida and the struggles for political representation and equal education in Texas, and a Chicana faculty member's thoughts on consciousness raising in the college classroom. Following an introduction by Vicki L. Ruiz, the chapters are: "Claiming Public Space at Work, Church, and Neighborhood" (Vicki L. Ruiz); "'She Has Served Others in More Intimate Ways': The Domestic Service Reform in Yucatan, 1915-1918" (Emma Perez); "'Woman Sterilized as Gives Birth': Forced Sterilization and Chicana Resistance in the 1970s" (Virginia Espino); "'We Lived and Breathed and Worked the Movement': The Contradictions and Rewards of Chicana/Mexicana Activism in el Centro de Accion Social Autonomo-Hermandad General de Trabajadores (Casa-HGT), Los Angeles, 1975-1978" (Marisela R. Chavez); "Creating Community: Mexican American Women in Eastside Los Angeles" (Mary Pardo); "Organizing Latina Garment Workers in Los Angeles" (Maria Angelina Soldatenko); "'Work Gave Me a Lot of Confianza': Chicanas' Work Commitment and Work Identity" (Beatriz M. Pesquera); "Ambivalence or Continuity? Motherhood and Employment among Chicanas and Mexican Immigrant Women Workers" (Denise A. Segura); "Levels of Acculturation, Marital Satisfaction, and Depression among Chicana Workers: A Psychological Perspective" (Yvette G. Flores-Ortiz); "Engendering a 'Dialectics of Our America': Jovita Gonzalez's Pluralist Dialogue as Feminist Testimonio" (Maria Eugenia Cotera); "Three Stories: Campesinas, Onions, and Granma's Apron" (Mary Helen Ponce); "Mexican Migrants in North Carolina: Maria Salas Shares Her Story" (Margarita Decierdo); "The Synapses of Struggle: Martha Cotera and Tejana Activism" (Mary Ann Villarreal); "'I Wanted To Be Treated as an Equal': Testimony from a Latina Union Activist" (Guadalupe M. Friaz); and "'No se raje, chicanita': Some Thoughts on Race, Class, and Gender in the Classroom" (Gloria J. Romero). (Contains references in most chapters.) (SV)

Abstract in portuguese OBJETIVO: Analisar os afastamentos de curta duração de profissionais de enfermagem de um hospital universitário. MÉTODOS: A população estudada foi de 965 profissionais de enfermagem de um hospital universitário e que estavam em atividade em 1º de janeiro de 2000.Foram analisados afastamentos do trabalho desse grupo por até 30 dias em um ano civil. Foi feita a descrição dos afastamentos por doença (agregados em um ano), da demanda pelo serviço e dos diagn? (more) ?sticos. Por meio de análise multivariável foi estimado o risco relativo utilizando a distribuição de erro binomial negativa. RESULTADOS: Cerca de 65% dos trabalhadores geraram 1.988 consultas, das quais 68,6% resultaram em afastamento do trabalho. Os grupos com maior demanda foram técnicos de enfermagem, mulheres e estatutários (OR=1,61; 1,47; 1,53 respectivamente). Os diagnósticos mais freqüentes foram os relacionados ao aparelho respiratório. Para afastamentos, não foram encontradas diferenças para gênero e idade. Pelo menos um afastamento foi concedido a 57,6% da população, o que corresponde a 87,8% dos trabalhadores atendidos. Estes geraram um total de 1.364 afastamentos, 1,41 por trabalhador e 5.279 dias perdidos. A análise multivariável, ao considerar separadamente os sexos, mostrou efeito apenas do vínculo empregatício (RR=1,45 e RR=2,43) para mulheres e homens. CONCLUSÕES: Existe relação entre afastamento e vínculo empregatício. Faz-se necessário incluir outras variáveis, como tempo na empresa, turno e carga reprodutiva, em futuras pesquisas. Abstract in english OBJECTIVE: To analyze short-term leaves among the healthcare staff of a university hospital. METHODS: Study population included 965 nursing professionals active on 1 January 2000. Leaves up to 30 days in one year were analyzed. Sickness leaves (one-year aggregate), service demand, and diagnoses were described. Relative risk was estimated through multivariate analysis, using negative binomial distribution. RESULTS: About 65% of workers generated 1,988 appointments, of whic (more) h 68,6% lead to absence from work. The greatest demand occurred among nursing technicians, women, and statutory workers (OR=1.61; 1.47; 1.53 respectively). Over half the studied population (57.6%) had at least one absence. This corresponds to 87.8% of workers who had physician appointments. These workers generated a total 1,364 leaves of absence - 1.41 per worker - and 5,279 workdays were missed. Multivariate analysis was carried out considering each gender separately. An effect was found only for work regime (RR=1,45 e RR=2,43) for both men and women. CONCLUSIONS: A relationship exists between absenteeism and work regime. It is necessary to include other variables, such as time working for the company, shift, and number of children.

Background/Context: The current era of educational reform targets teacher education and aims to improve the performance of children who have traditionally underperformed and are underserved in public schools. Although educational policy has tried to address the ways in which "good teaching" contributes to improved student educational outcomes, research that examines such teaching must develop ways to make the tacit explicit. In doing so, the research and scholarship on teachers mask, ignore, and overlook the unique experiences of African American women teachers who bring a unique angle of vision to their work among historically underserved populations. The researchers argue that the pedagogy of Black women teachers provides much-needed insights that can inform the practices of all teachers. Focus of Study: This article integrates findings from two separate studies on Black women teachers. It examines reasons underlying the professional entry of Black women into teaching and uses a Black feminist/womanist framework to examine how the nexus of race, gender, and class impacts Black women's decisions to enter teaching while also informing their teaching missions. The article is situated in novelist Alice Walker's metaphorical gardens to examine the intergenerational connections of Black women teachers to teaching. Setting: Participants hailed from different geographic regions, including Southern California and the Midwest. All were teachers in urban districts serving primarily African American, Latino/Latina, and Asian American students. Participants: The participants were 5 Black women teachers from two separate studies. All participants were elementary teachers: a novice; experienced veteran teachers; and a semiretired teacher. Three of the teachers were members of the same family, representing three generations of Black women teachers. The remaining two teachers live, teach, and attend the same church in a medium-sized midwestern city. Research Design: The data for this article come from two separate qualitative studies on Black women teachers. Data Collection and Analysis: Both studies used ethnographic interviews. Dixson interviewed two participating teachers, the teachers' colleagues, principals, and parents of students. Dixson also conducted weekly classroom observations over 10 months. Dingus conducted two to three individual interviews with the participating family. She also conducted a group conversation with the family. Participants provided written reflections on their entry into teaching using metaphors of teaching. Dingus also collected documents including e-mail correspondence, newsletters, and print articles featuring the participants. Findings: Three convergent themes emerged that represent the teachers' views of why Black women enter teaching. The first finding, that teaching is tending our mothers' gardens, highlights the intergenerational encouragement of Black women, including mothers and community othermothers, as influential factors on their professional entry. Participants cited the teaching legacies of Black women in schools, families, and communities as inspirations to become teachers. The second finding, teaching as community work, highlights the ways in which the decision to enter teaching allowed them to remain connected to Black communities and students, function as cultural workers, and act as community othermothers. The third finding, that teaching is nurturing our mothers' spiritual gardens, illuminates how participants connected their professional entry to a larger spiritual mission. Participants perceived their teaching as a moral, communal, and ethical endeavor incorporating humanistic pedagogical approaches. Conclusions/Recommendations: The researchers argue that educational research, in keeping with a policy focus on quality instruction, must continue to examine the practices of Black women teachers, who have effective pedagogical practices with underserved populations. In doing so, we caution against operationalizing such pedagogical practices in ways that trivialize their teaching practices and render them invisible. Furthermore, we encourage researchers to examine how teacher education can make explicit the experiences, knowledge, wisdom and spiritual aspects of Black women's pedagogical practices. Research must also consider the ways in which Black women teachers draw on intergenerational networks in their teaching practices and how these relate to their conceptualizations of their roles as teachers.

Abstract in portuguese Sendo a atenção integral à saúde um desafio às práticas multidisciplinares no âmbito dos serviços públicos de saúde, tomamos como eixo de discussão a crítica à transmissão vertical de informações, o que implica refletir sobre o papel ativo dos sujeitos na abordagem dos fenômenos saúde/doença. Através de práticas educativas na assistência à mulher no climatério em um ambulatório no Rio de Janeiro, observamos que as construções de gênero operam d (more) e forma incisiva nas vivências das usuárias. Através de imagens, símbolos e representações expressaram o sentimento de perda em várias direções: insegurança face aos sintomas de natureza física e psicológica antes não vivenciados, menos-valia pelo desprezo às suas queixas, medo do desconhecido diante das representações negativas da menopausa. Tornar inteligíveis as representações sociais de um dado grupo sobre o objeto menopausa implica analisar a eficácia dos discursos em relação às mudanças fisiológicas da mulher nessa etapa da vida, e iniciar um processo de troca entre população e profissionais no sentido de (re)construí-las a partir da crítica às representações dominantes que sustentam relações de poder, favorecendo a expressão dos sentimentos e emoções de maneira a possibilitar à mulher ser sujeito de sua saúde e ampliar o olhar e a sensibilidade dos profissionais da saúde. Abstract in english The aim of this article is to discuss the limits and the possibilities of educative health practices for the women's health promotion. We should do a critic of the " unilateral communication" and reflect on the need for women to become active parts in this process. Having focusing on an interdisciplinary activity in climacteric women's attention in a health public organization in Rio de Janeiro between 1990-1995, we have observed that the gender's construction had a signi (more) ficant influence in women's daily lives and that most of them had a negative social representation of the menopause. They talked about their fears of the menopause consequences. When we know social representations about menopause, we can access the effectiveness of the discourse about women's physicals and psychological changes during this period life and establish more efficient and communicative exchanges between all the people concerned and the health workers to build new social representations, and help women to express the emotions resulting from the " battle of mind" fought in all their relationships. This would firstly enable them to take an active part in their health promotion, and, secondly improve the way health's workers approach the matter.

Objectives: Previous studies examining the association between job stress and blood lipids have produced mixed findings. We sought to investigate the association between job stress and blood lipids among Chinese workers. Methods: A total of 544 subjects (367 men and 177 women) without known diseases from the Stress and Health in Shenzhen Workers (SHISO) cross-sectional study were analyzed. Job stress was evaluated by the effort-reward imbalance (ERI) model. The associations between job stress and blood lipids, such as for total cholesterol (TCHO), triglycerides (TG), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), were explored by multiple linear regression. The association between job stress and combined dyslipidemia was examined by multiple logistic regression. Results: Compared with their corresponding low level groups, groups with high levels of effort, overcommitment and ERI had a significantly increased risk of combined dyslipidemia with adjusted odd ratios (ORs) of 3.5 (95% CI 1.8-6.7), 4.2 (95% CI 2.3-7.7) and 2.7 (95% CI 1.5-5.1), respectively, whereas high rewards significantly reduced the risk of combined dyslipidemia (adjusted OR 0.3, 95% CI 0.2-0.6) compared with low rewards. Effort, overcommitment and ERI were significantly positively related to TG and LDL-C, while rewards were inversely related to them. No significant associations were observed between job stress and TCHO and HDL-C. The results were similar for men and women. Conclusions: Effort, overcommitment, low reward and ERI increased the risk of dyslipidemia among Chinese workers, and they were significantly associated with TG and LDL-C rather than TC or HDL-C. Increasing blood lipids may be the possible link between job stress and coronary heart disease.