Subtle exposures, invisible outcomes, real suffering: sex, gender and occupational health

In this issue of OEM, Johnson et al1 report on occupational risks to menstrual health. This is an original study of data collected during the 1990s comparing work demands and menstrual cycle irregularity of flight attendants and teachers from three cities in the USA. Although flight attendants’ characteristics and working conditions have changed considerably over the past 30 years, for example, because smoking is now prohibited on aeroplanes, this article is exceptional and instructive as part of a tiny body of work on occupational risks to menstrual health such as cold exposure,2 schedule irregularities, physical workload,3 some chemicals4 5 and perhaps radiation. Historically, women’s occupational health experiences have been understudied, and studies on workplace effects on female sex-related outcomes are rarer still.6 7 There are several determinants of this neglect. One important reason we still...
Source: Occupational and Environmental Medicine - Category: Occupational Health Authors: Tags: Commentary Source Type: research