[What are the causes and the reason why of diseases prevalence and incidence in occupational sample of women]. / Prevalenza ed incidenza di malattie nelle donne che lavorano: quali e perché.

ABSTRACT

UNLABELLED Aim of this study has been the evaluation of health status change among women and men engaged in different occupational activities. METHODS: In a sample of 1,145 women and 3,110, collected in a time span of 10 years, were calculated prevalence and incidence of diseases related to occupational and non occupational variables physical work load and job timing, civil status and family engagement. Differences between sexes were calculated by X-square and mean difference test. RESULTS: In women subset, cardiovascular and vertebral degenerative disease, skin, wrist and elbow (carpal canal and epicondylitis) pathologies were much more represented than in men's ones. Psychiatric and psychosomatic symptoms and diseases were much more represented in the women sample and furthermore at younger age. In women, heavier work load has been the most responsible factor of degenerative diseases, while shift work of psychiatric and psychosomatic diseases. In the same gender, the stable living together and family charge increased the incidence of chronic degenerative diseases, suggesting an empowering effect coming from the occupation. In conclusion, from data analysis it is possible to speculate that working women's health profile is sensible to various determinants with synergic effect; consequently the clinical emergence of diseases is shown up earlier.