Major health problems of older women workers: stress and musculo-skeletal problems

Many studies have shown that women workers are more likely than their male co-workers to report work-related psychological distress.The most stressful forms of employment are those which are poorly paid, make high demands but offer little control.

Workers who have direct responsibility for the fate of others are also more likely to experience the ‘burnout’ most frequently reported by those employed in health care and education. Such pressures can be a riskfactor for coronary heart disease, especially if they are exacerbated by additional pressures at home.

Studies from a number of countries show that women are also more likely than men to have musculo-skeletal problems including repetitive strain injury, upper limb disorders, back pain and carpal tunnel syndrome.

The causes for this are complex but reflect in part the fact that the ‘light work’ women are assumed to do is often physically demanding.They have to move heavy loads, adopt awkward working postures and expend high levels of static muscular effort.

They are also more likely than men to be engaged in work that requires repetitive tasks, while work stations may not be designed to meet their needs.Alongside these physical hazards in the workplace women may also face physical risks at home such as lifting.