As mulheres lavradoras e os agrotóxicos no cotidiano da agricultura familiar / Women farmers and pesticides in daily family farming

RESUMO Considerando a invisibilidade do trabalho feminino no cenário da agricultura familiar, este trabalho teve como objetivo descrever e analisar a relação da mulher com os agrotóxicos no processo de trabalho. Esta pesquisa qualitativa foi realizada com agricultoras familiares de São Miguel Arcanjo (SP), e tem como material de análise o conteúdo das entrevistas com as 14 agricultoras, segundo adaptação dos conceitos de Bardin. Os conteúdos das falas das entrevistadas foram organizados e delineados em duas categorias analisadas no corpo deste trabalho. Foi possível inferir que a mulher desempenha atributos historicamente designados à figura masculina, como as práticas do capinar, da colheita e da manipulação de agrotóxico, embora desprovida do direito a acesso à informação e orientação necessário para o desempenho do seu labor com segurança. A prática do agronegócio adentra as propriedades familiares, pautada na produção dependente de agrotóxicos, e é relatada por elas de maneira não naturalizada, quando identificam os agrotóxicos como venenos. Por fim, potencializar as competências identificadas nessas mulheres, sobretudo o poder de resiliência, preservando suas competências e identidades perante tantos fatores estressores vivenciados no contexto da margem feminilizada da agricultura, pode contribuir para o fim da miséria econômica, intelectual e sanitária das mulheres lavradoras.

ABSTRACT Considering the invisibility of female labor in the family farming scenario, this work aims to describe and analyze the relationship of women with pesticides in the work process. This qualitative research was carried out with family farmers in São Miguel Arcanjo (SP) and has as analysis material the content of the interviews with the 14 women farmers, according to the adaptation of Bardin's concepts. The contents of the interviewees' speeches were organized and outlined in two categories analyzed in the body of this work. It was possible to infer that women perform attributes historically assigned to the male figure, such as the practices of weeding, harvesting, and handling pesticides, although they lack the right to access the information and guidance necessary to safely perform their work. The practice of agribusiness enters family properties, based on pesticide-dependent production, and is reported by them in an unnatural way, when they identify pesticides as poisons. Finally, enhancing the skills identified in these women, especially the power of resilience, preserving their skills and identities in the face of so many stressors experienced in the context of the feminized margin of agriculture, may contribute to the end of economic, intellectual, and sanitary misery of women farmers.

Trabalhadoras da saúde face à pandemia: por uma análise sociológica do trabalho de cuidado / Female healthcare workers and the Covid-19 pandemic in Brazil: a sociological analysis of healthcare work

Resumo Este texto tem como finalidade discutir o cuidado de trabalhadoras da área da saúde em face da Covid-19, sob a análise sociológica de autoras que o vêm discutindo enquanto um trabalho que é desempenhado, na sua maioria, pelas mulheres das classes populares, é desvalorizado e sofre baixa remuneração. É uma atividade que envolve as construções sociais das emoções e tem utilizado o corpo como um instrumento de trabalho no cuidado com o outro. Além disso, a precarização do trabalho em saúde na sociedade brasileira acirrada nas últimas décadas, como o aumento de contratos temporários, perdas de direitos trabalhistas, a sobrecarga das atividades, condições de trabalho precárias, dentre outros, soma-se com o aumento dos atendimentos médico-hospitalares diante da pandemia da Covid-19. Neste contexto, as trabalhadoras em saúde vivenciam as ausências de equipamentos de proteção individual, medo de contaminação pelo vírus, preocupações com filhos e familiares, vivências diante da morte e do adoecimento de si e de colegas de profissão. Este texto aponta para a necessidade de atenção governamental, bem como para a gestão do trabalho em saúde e dos órgãos de classe profissional, analisando as condições de trabalho que as trabalhadoras em saúde estão vivendo no enfrentamento da pandemia.

Abstract The article aims to discuss the care provided by female healthcare workers in Brazil during the Covid-19 pandemic, based on a sociological analysis by authors who discuss such care as devalued and poorly paid work performed to a large extent by low-income women. The work involves social constructions of emotions and has used the body as a work instrument in care for others. In addition, the increasingly precarious nature of health work in Brazilian society, aggravated in recent decades, with an increase in temporary contracts, loss of labor rights, overload of tasks, and adverse work conditions, among others, adds to the increase in medical and hospital care in the Covid-19 pandemic. In this context, female healthcare workers experience lack of personal protective equipment, fear of coronavirus infection, concerns with their children and other family members, and illness and death of coworkers and themselves. The article highlights the need for government attention and management of healthcare work and professional societies, analyzing the work conditions female healthcare workers are experiencing in confronting the pandemic.

Devir Margarida: narrativas de si em experienciafetos / Becoming Margarida: narratives of self in experienceaffections / Devenir Margarida: narrativas de si en experienciafectos

Neste ensaio rizomático, evocamos cenas, imagens e afetos acionados com a participação das mulheres trabalhadoras rurais da V Marcha das Margaridas. A experiência e a narração articulam ferramentas potentes na transmissão de histórias em sua singularidade, diferença e multiplicidade. A escrita demarca um registro possível, uma abertura para estar junto na produção de uma escuta implicada e sensível dos efeitos da experiência de um "devir Margarida". O caminho percorrido irrompe entre fragmentos, recortes descontínuos, impregnado por experienciafetos em sua dimensão ética, estética e política. Com alegria e colorido, as mulheres vêm à público performatizar um ato-manifesto na luta contra os retrocessos e pela garantia de direitos. Em marcha, as margaridas protagonizam ações políticas em prol do bem viver de suas comunidades e questionam os estereótipos tradicionais de gênero.(AU)

In this rhizomatic essay, we evoke scenes, images and affections triggered by our participation, with rural women workers, in the 5 th Marcha das Margaridas . Experience and narrative are powerful tools in the transmission of stories, in their uniqueness, difference and multiplicity. Writing demarcates a possible record, an aperture to be together in the production of an implicated and sensitive hearing of the effects produced by the experience of "becoming Margarida ". The traveled path bursts among fragments, discontinuous cuts, marked by experienceaffections in their ethical, aesthetical and political dimensions. With joy and multiple colors, women perform, in public, an act-manifesto in the fight against retrocessions and for the guarantee of rights. In their march, the Margaridas play a leading role in political actions for their communities' welfare and question traditional gender stereotypes..(AU)

En este ensayo rizomático evocamos escenas, imágenes y afectos accionados con la participación junto a mujeres trabajadoras rurales de la V Marcha das Margaridas . La experiencia y la narración constituyen herramientas potentes en la transmisión de historias en su singularidad, diferencia y multiplicidad. La escritura demarca un registro posible, una apertura para estar juntos en la producción de una escucha implicada y sensible de los efectos de la experiencia de un "devenir Margarida ". El camino recorrido irrumpe entre fragmentos, recortes discontinuos, impregnado por experienciafectos en su dimensión ética, estética y política. Con alegría y colorido, las mujeres vienen a público a performatizar un acto-manifiesto en la lucha contra retrocesos y por la garantía de derechos. En marcha, las margaridas protagonizan acciones políticas para el bien vivir de sus comunidades y cuestionan los estereotipos tradicionales de género..(AU)

Domestic violence against women workers in selected tea estates of South India

Background: Violence against women is an important public health problem, due to its consequences on women health. There is a considerable variation in the prevalence of domestic violence across the states and different settings in India. Objectives: The objectives of the study were to estimate the prevalence of different forms of domestic violence and determine the associated factors among women working in tea estates. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in two tea estates in Tamil Nadu. All (266) ever-married women workers aged 15–49 years were included in the study. Data were collected using a pre-designed interview schedule including sociodemography and physical, psychological, and sexual domains of domestic violence. It was developed using the National Family Health Survey 3 interview schedule and the World Health Organization multi-country study on women’s health and life experiences questionnaire version 10. Results: The prevalence of domestic violence was 65%, while specifically psychological, physical, and sexual violence were 63.5%, 44.1%, and 4.1%, respectively. Domestic violence was significantly associated with socioeconomic status, spousal literacy status, age at marriage, and alcohol use (P < 0.05). Any form of violence and psychological violence were twice as common with illiterate (unadjusted odds ratio [OR]: 2.6; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.4–4.9) (unadjusted OR: 2.4; 95% CI: 1.1–4.9) and a spouse who consumed alcohol (unadjusted OR: 2.7; 95% CI: 1.6–4.6) (unadjusted OR: 2.5; 95% CI: 1.5–4.2), respectively. Conclusion: The prevalence of all forms of domestic violence was high among women in the selected two tea estates in South India. Significant association was found with spousal characteristics. This calls for stringent enforcement of laws and educating men toward changing the social attitude toward violence against women.

Family Nursing Phenomena and Characteristics of Women Workers at Medical Institutions / 산업간호학회지

PURPOSE: This study was intended to understand relevant factors by observing phenomena and characteristics of family nursing based on ICNP. METHODS: The subjects of this study were nurses and 80 reports were prepared by 680 students for the data. RESULTS: The results are as follows: The average number of the family problems the subjects were faced with was 3.5, while the majority (70%) had 3 problems. The most frequently occurred family problem was 'lack of or improper communication,' followed by 'inappropriate family coping,' 'unhealthy life style,' 'inadequate care management of sick members,' and 'wrong parental role.' Married women showed high APGAR score in the family function. The problems they were experiencing were 'lack of or improper communication,' 'inadequate care management of sick members,' and 'wrong parental role.' CONCLUSION: As a conclusion, the following is advised. First, intervention strategies are required for the women workers at medical institutions as their family problems revealed to have occurred frequently. Second, in order to alleviate family problems of married working women with various tasks and roles they play, necessary measures and concern in the aspect of industrial nursing are needed.

Family Nursing Phenomena and Characteristics of Women Workers at Medical Institutions / 산업간호학회지

PURPOSE: This study was intended to understand relevant factors by observing phenomena and characteristics of family nursing based on ICNP. METHODS: The subjects of this study were nurses and 80 reports were prepared by 680 students for the data. RESULTS: The results are as follows: The average number of the family problems the subjects were faced with was 3.5, while the majority (70%) had 3 problems. The most frequently occurred family problem was 'lack of or improper communication,' followed by 'inappropriate family coping,' 'unhealthy life style,' 'inadequate care management of sick members,' and 'wrong parental role.' Married women showed high APGAR score in the family function. The problems they were experiencing were 'lack of or improper communication,' 'inadequate care management of sick members,' and 'wrong parental role.' CONCLUSION: As a conclusion, the following is advised. First, intervention strategies are required for the women workers at medical institutions as their family problems revealed to have occurred frequently. Second, in order to alleviate family problems of married working women with various tasks and roles they play, necessary measures and concern in the aspect of industrial nursing are needed.

Nutritional and Health Status of Women Workers by Working Fields / 대한지역사회영양학회지

The objective of this study was to investigate the nutritional and health status of women industrial workers by working fields. One hundred forty eight (105 lead and 43 office) workers were recruited from March 2005 to October 2005. Information on age, education, smoking and drinking status were collected using questionnaire and nutrient intake and diet quality of workers were assessed by average of two-day 24 hr recall method. Biochemical indexes including blood lead level (PbB), indexes for iron status, serum calcium (Ca) and serum lipid profiles were analyzed from fasting venous blood or serum. Results showed that education level of lead workers was lower than that of office workers (p < 0.05), but nutrient intake levels were not significantly different by working fields. Overall nutritional status of the subject were good except for calcium, vitamin B2, C and folic acid intakes. PbB of lead workers were significantly higher than that of office workers while mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration (MCHC) and serum Ca levels were significantly lower in lead workers. MCHC was positively correlated with zinc intake (r = 0.166) and serum Ca was positively correlated with vitamin C intake (r = 0.179). This study confirms that lead workers need extra care to keep their health and nutritional management especially for the nutrients known to interact with lead. Tailored nutrition education for workers at specific working fields needs to be more focused for the improvement of health status of industrial workers.

The Development of a Structural Model on Work-related Musculoskeletal Disorders of Women Workers

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to develop and test a structural model on work-related musculoskeletal disorders of women workers. METHOD: Data were collected from 237 women workers from industries such as electronics, food production and garment production, and analyzed by LISREL 8.54. RESULT: The fitness indices of the model are GFI=.87, NNFI=.91, PNFI=.74. Eight out of the ten paths were proved to be statistically significant: work environment-->social support, work environment-->health behavior, work environment-->WMSDs, domestic work-->health behavior, social support-->health behavior, social support-->job satisfaction, health behavior-->job satisfaction, and job satisfaction-->WMSDs. Work environment, social support, health behavior and job satisfaction significantly influenced WRMDs. WRMDs were accounted for 35% by the predictor variables. CONCLUSION: In conclusion, this study identifies that work environment, social support, health behavior and job satisfaction are important factors affecting WMSDs. Therefore, in order to prevent WRMDs, it is most important to improve both physical work environment for female workers such as appropriate work station and tools fit for them and psychological environment such as less job demand and more decision latitude(worker control).

Subjective Symptoms of Musculoskeletal Disorders in Women Workers

PURPOSE: To investigate subjective symptoms of musculoskeletal disorders in women workers. METHOD: From February to April, 2006, 292 women workers working in 16 companies were surveyed using KOSHA CODE (H-30-2003). RESULT: Of the workers, 84.0% had at least one musculoskeletal disorder. The mean score of the severity of musculoskeletal disorder symptoms was 7.41 out of 25. As for the prevalence rate by body part, shoulder was the most common and severe body part of musculoskeletal disorders, and significant differences were shown in neck, shoulder, and lower limb according to the type of working. The severity of married workers was significantly higher than that of unmarried ones. Significant difference was shown in the severity of disorders by the type of working and in body parts according to the type of working. CONCLUSION: The self-reported symptoms of musculoskeletal disorders were very frequent in women workers, but the severity of the symptoms was relatively low, suggesting the early symptoms of disorders. Specifically, given the highly frequent self-reported symptoms in the shoulder part found in married women workers, intensive prevention is recommended. Furthermore, an ergonomic aspect should be concerned to consider physical characteristics of women workers.

Effects of work-related factors and work-family conflict on depression among Japanese working women living with young children

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>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.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>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.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>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.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>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.</p>

Effects of Work-Related Factors and Work-Family Conflict on Depression among Japanese Working Women Living with Young Children

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.

A Survey on Physical Activities of Middle-aged Women Workers / 한국역학회지

This study was conducted to look into physical activities of middle-aged women workers and various factors related to them. Two sample groups of women workers were selected in a ceramic factory located in the suburbs of Mokpo city in Chonnam Provincd: the middle-aged group(73 women workers aged between 45-49) and the compared group(60 women workers aged between 35-39). Data were colledted curing the period of July 1-20, 1996. 1. The average score of job-related physical activities were 3.09 and 3.39 in the middle-aged group and the compared group respectively. However, when it comes to leisure-time physical activities, the two groups revealed little difference, scoring 1.50 on average. These facts show us that middle-aged women workers have little concern with their leisure-time physical activities because they perceive their job activities as heavy. 2. As for the middle-aged group, the most influential variables on job-related physical activities were 'speed of eating', 'body figure' and 'blood sugar level'. Only these three variables could account for 22.2% of job-related activities of middle-aged women workers. These results imply that the faster they eat, the closer their body figure is to fatness type, and the higher their blood sugar level is, the heavier they perceive their job activities. 3. 'Body figure' was the most influential variable on Percent Ideal Body Weight(PIBW) in both the groups. It could explain 29.2% and 14.1% of PIBW in the middle-aged group and the compared group respectively. It means that the closer their body figure is to fatness type, the higher their PIBW gets. 4. As for 'body figure', 35.61% of the middle-aged group revealed fatness type. None the less, most of the middle-aged respondents perceived their 'body figure' as normal. According to the above results, I'd like to propose the followings: 1) It is necessary to provide middle-aged women workers with group health education of 'body figure'. 2) It is desirable to give workers various incentives for the active participation in walking campaign before and after work. 3) Indoor exercises such as rope-skipping and stepping in work sites as a recommendable as leisure-time physical activities.