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Background and Aim: In 2019, the World Health Organization (WHO) recognized the coronavirus outbreak as a pandemic and a public health emergency of global significance. Recent studies have revealed that these restrictions and women's anxiety of the virus itself may have had an adverse effect on their mental health. Children and family members are spending more time at home;thus, society needs to be conscious of how this is affecting working women's emotional and physical health especially in the absence of any assisting maid. Thus, the purpose of this study was to evaluate how the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown affected working women's physical and mental health. Material(s) and Method(s): To examine the effects of COVID-19 on the physical and emotional health of working women, a cross-sectional survey was conducted. Data is collected using an online survey platform. To investigate the impact of lockdown on the women's mental and physical health, a semi-structured questionnaire comprising a number of open-and closed-ended questions was prepared. Additionally, any mental health disorders and emotional difficulties that developed during lockdown or became worse were enlisted. Another goal was to gauge how much family members understood and were sympathetic to the physical and mental strain the working women were under. Result(s): The study involved 200 women from different states of India. The hours spent in the kitchen and other associated activities increased from 1.5 hours to 5.5 hours when the time between before and during the lockdown was compared. The amount of time spent engaging in physical activity, such as yoga and morning and evening walks, significantly decreased during the lockdown are coming to normal after the lockdown. 68 per cent of those surveyed said that women's behaviour had changed. About 58 per cent of the women suffered physical changes such fatigue, headaches, lower back discomfort, and other issues with women's weight gain. Conclusion(s): Additional research is required to better understand the long-term effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on women's mental health, particularly in regard to the identification of additional variables that may be connected to the pandemic's potentially multiplicative effects on women.Copyright © 2023, Institute of Medico-legal Publication. All rights reserved.
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Over the past few decades, the process of purchasing clothing online has improved tremendously, and it's only getting better. Online purchasing offers a convenient and fast service. A new disease, Covid-19, has accelerated online shopping by compelling firms to adopt a necessary digital method. Many long-term changes in consumer purchasing behaviour are still taking shape in clothing sales after the pandemic's terrible impact, but things are gradually returning to normal. The worldwide apparel industry is one of the fastest-growing in the world. When it comes to purchases of clothing, working women have become a significant customer group. A substantial shift in women's purchasing habits can be traced to this increased value placed on clothing by women. To better understand working women's shopping habits and new trends in Guwahati City, this study examines how covid 19 pandemic changed working women's online purchasing behaviour. To research on women's awareness of online shopping and characteristics that influence online fashion purchases are the goals of this study. The study is aimed at a better understanding of working women's online apparel purchasing habits before and during the covid-19 pandemic. A questionnaire was sent out to 110 working women between the ages of 22 and 60 by the researcher. COVID-19 has led to a significant uptick in online shopping, with the majority of participants reporting a significant rise in the frequency with which they shop. Online shopping is preferred by most respondents due to its convenience of use, as well as the possibility to compare a wide range of products at a lower price and in a shorter amount of time. However it has its own limitations. There is a difference between seeing a cloth with naked eyes and seeing it on digital screen. Physical purchasing also offers the customer the opportunity to get the feel of the cloth. Thus sometimes customer may not satisfied with the quality of the online product,after receiving the delivery.Copyright © 2022 Authors. All rights reserved.
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BACKGROUND: Menopause is one of the women's lifespan conditions that increase the potentiality of developing multiple physical and psychological diseases. Thus, it exposes the women to many fears and pressures, mainly during the COVID-19 pandemic. AIM: This study aims to assess stressors and coping strategies among Egyptian menopausal women during the COVID-19 pandemic. METHOD(S): A descriptive cross-sectional design was used to identify the associated menopause complaints stressors and the types of coping strategies among 126 university working women ages 40-60. Three tools were used: The demographic-characteristic, menopause rating scale, and coping with menopause symptoms questionnaires. RESULT(S): The most prevalent complaints were psychological stressors with a mean of 88.8 (70.5%), where fear of infection and death by COVID-19 was the most common problem (87.3%). Further, the most coping technique was used by participants was protective measures with a mean of 82.2 (65.2%). There is a highly significant difference (p = 0.001) with all coping strategies based on the women's menopausal status. CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS: The COVID-19 pandemic with menopause represents a significant burden on women at a critical time of their lives. Based on the results, it is essential to address the effectiveness of highly competent nursing care and support that includes effective coping strategies. Establishing and adopting nursing care guidelines that deal with stress and caring during this pandemic are highly recommended. Copyright © 2022 Fatma AboulKhair Farag, M. Danet Lapiz Bluhm, Najla Barnawi, Amel Dawod Kamel Gouda.
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Nutritional labelling is the nutritional description of the food on the label to help the consumer in food selection. The present study aimed to assess the knowledge, attitude and practices adopted by the subjects and correlate them to have a better understanding of their nutritional background. Nutrition labels are a prominent first-glance article that needs to be very catchy and easy to interpret. The organizations responsible for formulating the rules and regulations must keep them updated and devise new formats of the display to enhance the usage of food labels up to the maximum possible level. A cross-sectional research study on 100 working women of Varanasi, aged between 20-50 years was conducted through a self-structured questionnaire to evaluate their KAP level. In view of the COVID-19 pandemic, the questionnaire was administered to the respondents through the online medium using Google forms. It can be inferred from the study that 58 % of the total respondents surveyed were aware of the labels, 61% of them had a positive attitude towards its usage but only 52% practised healthy shopping more often. About 70% of the participants preferred back-of-pack labelling rather than front-of-pack because the former provides elaborative information. The factors like qualification and occupation of women participants had negative associations with the satisfaction of the display format. The women having knowledge regarding traffic light labelling showed a positive association with the usefulness of the same. The average practice percentage adopted by the consumers had a negative association with factors like qualification, income, and occupation. The need for simplifying the display format and providing basic nutrition information to the population is highlighted in this study.
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Objective: To find out the role of emotional exhaustion as mediation in the association of cognitive reappraisal and mental health problems in female university teachers in COVID-19. Methodology: A correlational research design was utilized to get participants from different government and private universities of Lahore. Participants of this study were 100 university teachers having the ages of 25 to 60 years. Participants were selected using purposive sampling technique. Scales of Cognitive Reappraisal, Emotional Exhaustion, and Psychosocial Reactions of COVID-19 were utilized to get the data from the participants. Results: Findings of correlation analysis suggested interrelatedness of cognitive reappraisal, emotional exhaus-tion, and mental health problems. Additionally, mediation analysis suggested the significant mediating role of emotional exhaustion in the association of cognitive reappraisal and mental health issues. Conclusion: By identifying the risk and protective factors of mental health problems of working women at early stages, we can prevent them from adverse consequences of these issues.
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Introduction: As COVID-19 spread in Brazil, the Brazilian Federal Justice determined compulsory telework starting March 2020. We aimed to contextualize the impact of telework and the social roles of females working for the Federal Justice during the pandemic. Material and Methods: Content analysis of open interviews was conducted with seven women from different job titles in the Judiciary. Results are part of an ongoing doctoral study, approved by the Ethics and Research Committee of the School of Public Health, University of São Paulo. Results: It was evident that there were both favorable aspects and constraints imposed by the new work organization. A “multiple” journey was imposed on female workers who have children or other dependents. The need to find additional time in their day to do their work, either by starting work very early in the morning, or working very late at night, as well as interrupting the working day in smaller segments, with breaks for childcare, domestic chores, home education, among others. However, participants perceived the post-pandemic partial telework as favorable. Conclusions: Public and private spaces merged and blended for women working as teleworkers during the pandemic. Female workers were forced to take care of domestic and professional work, overwhelming themselves, as they need to manage two social spaces in a single geographical place. Redesigning the temporalities of work and private life require to be accompanied by social policies addressing caregiving responsibilities and gender equality.
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Introduction: This paper looks at the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic to vulnerable groups such as informal workers, those engaged in non-standard forms of employment, and women workers. Material and Methods: Key informants were interviewed and available online materials were used. Results: The pandemic has resulted to a significant increase in unemployment. The uncertainty, instability, and insecurity is high particularly those in non-standard forms of employment, and informal workers. This situation has led to low morale and self-esteem, high stress and anxiety. Women’s vulnerability during the pandemic is multi-dimensional. Denial of access to health services is experienced. As frontline health workers, there is no PPE fit for their ergonomic requirements and are more likely to get infected from the virus than men. They also bear the burden of psychological effects of increased patients’ death, physical burnout, and long shifts. Those who need to isolate themselves from their families, the feeling of guilt is overwhelming as they are torn between their productive and reproductive roles. Second shift is also a concern for women on work from home arrangement. Their time to rest and sleep are disrupted. For working women living in poverty, the endless anxiety of finding ways to make both ends meet, lack of basic services at home, and cramp spaces make the situation harder to bear. Stress and depression are increasing. Conclusion: The effects of the Covid-19 pandemic are not the same for all workers. It is the vulnerable workers who find it increasingly more difficult to cushion its adverse impact on their quality of life.
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COVID-19 has changed the way we live and made the future come faster. Although changes such as work from home are changing how we commute, studies on the association between commuting time and mental health are lacking. We used the Korean Working Condition Survey, a nationally representative cross-sectional survey. A total of 23,415 waged workers in 20-59 years of age were selected. It was investigated that the association between commuting time and depressive symptoms which were measured by the World Health Organisation- Five Well-Being Index (WHO-5). Compared with the shortest commuting time (< 30 min), those who spent 60 min or longer commuting had a significantly higher odd ratio (OR) for depressive symptoms (1.16;95% CI: 1.04, 1.29). Among males, workers aged 40–49, in the lowest income quartile, unmarried, not having children, having white-collar jobs, working standard hours groups, and without shiftwork showed a significant association between long commuting time and increased depressive symptoms. Among females, workers aged 20–29, in the lowest income quartile, having 2 or more children, and shiftwork showed higher ORs for the association between long commuting time and depressive symptoms. In our study, long commuting time was associated with increased depressive symptoms measured by the WHO-5 well-being index. In the future, it is not expected that changes in commuting will equally and simultaneously be applied to workers with various socio-economical statuses. Our study implies that an approach to mental health according to the characteristics is necessary.
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Introduction: Occupational diseases are annually responsible for the death of approximately 2.0 million people worldwide. Healthcare workers are at higher risk of developing several occupational diseases such as infectious diseases, musculoskeletal disorders and mental distress. This study aims to provide a profile of the main notified occupational diseases and the affected workers in a Portuguese hospital over the last 5 years. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional observational study was conducted using data from the Occupational Health Service of Centro Hospitalar do Baixo Vouga for the notified occupational diseases in hospital workers between July of 2016 and June of 2021. Results and Conclusions: A total of 355 cases of occupational diseases were notified among hospital workers in these 5 years. Our data showed that COVID-19 infection was the most reported disease since the onset of the current pandemic, with a total of 269 cases, 72 in the year 2020 and 197 in the first semester of 2021. Musculoskeletal disorders were the second most notified group of diseases, representing about 20% of all cases, and the most commonly reported diseases in the pre-pandemic years. Occupational diseases were more prevalent in nurses, followed by hospital aides and physicians. The notification of these diseases was highest among female workers. Ultimately, changes in working conditions and the introduction of new agents may give rise to emerging occupational health risks and diseases. The detection and investigation of these new diseases are essential from a perspective of early recognition and prevention.
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On March 5th, 2020, the first COVID-19 case was diagnosed in South Africa and the President declared a National State of Disaster. Almost two years later, this State of Disaster persists. More than 2.9 million cases of COVID-19 and 87780 fatalities have been recorded. Most women workers are in vulnerable employment as domestic help, traders in the informal economy, and small-scale agriculture with no employment contracts or health insurance cover. Women in formal sector work in the services / retail and healthcare, dealing with the vulnerability of their employment and those infected with COVID-19, with the clinical sequelae. Women accounted for more than 55% of the total burden of COVID-19 infections while 82% of infections in healthcare workers were in women. Women reported more anxiety and depressive symptoms post-infection than men, experiencing stress with a reduction of income and caring for ill family members and taking care of children because schools were closed. There was an increase in gender violence reports. Women in the informal sector experienced reduction earnings by 70%;female healthcare workers experienced longer working hours, anguish and burnout. Regulations were implemented to reduce the risk of COVID-19 workplace transmission and identify vulnerable workers. Infections acquired in the workplace were declared compensable. Vaccination roll-out included pregnant and nursing women. In addition, there were financial incentives, but only for formal work. Despite these initiatives, long-term policies aimed at socioeconomic protection and employment creation that focus on women workers are required.
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COVID-19 has inflicted disproportionate health and economic risks depending of some social conditions, like gender, age, employment condition, or migrant condition, which are least equipped to withstand these risks. As well as social conditions, inequities between and within countries are exacerbated by COVID-19, and will have long- term negative impacts. In this context, being a woman has determined great differences in the way in which the health risks are faced. This situation caused a regression in general human development, widening the gaps in compliance with several of the SDGs, and especially those related to gender equity (SGD5), poverty reduction (SGD1), good health and well-being (SDG 3), decent work (SDG8) and the reduction of inequities (SDG10). The synergistic effects of social conditions and their effect on the worker´s health were also evident, as the situation of women worsened. The crisis produced by COVID-19 has not yet ended, and its effects cannot yet be measurable over time. But we must learn about how to protect working women in times of crisis, where the important, asymmetric and heavy burden that she must face is evident. Strengthen the universality of social protection, connect the primary health care system with the workers' health system and encourage affordable mechanisms for people care are some of the initiatives that many countries have begun to implement to improve this situation, but we are still far from building resilient systems before these types of disruptive situations, which allow us to continue advancing in the construction of a more equitable, just and healthy society for women.
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Session introduction The crisis unleashed by the COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted the world of work, asymmetrically affecting men and women. Women have had a special impact by having the highest participation in the prioritized sectors of the economy (health, education, food) and this has had an influence on further widening inequities between genders, and especially in terms of their health. In this session we will address some of these aspects from a sectorized and global perspective.
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Background: Italy was strongly affected by the COVID-19 pandemic during spring (first wave) and autumn 2020 (second wave);healthcare workers’ mental health was deeply conditioned by this situation and by the exposition to the highest risk to get infected themselves [1]. Aim of this study was to investigate how healthcare workers’ mental wellbeing was altered by the massive exposition to the pandemic, together with pre-existing personal factors which can be involved in mental health. Methods: Sixty-four healthcare workers from Fondazione IRCSS Policlinico, Milan, were included. Information were retrieved from an ad-hoc questionnaire. Mental health was assessed by the following rating scales: Impact of event scale-revised (IESR) and Patient Health Questionnaires-9 (PHQ-9). The first scale evaluates the post-traumatic stress symptoms, while the second severity of depression. The healthcare professionals were asked to fill the scales thinking about their symptoms during both the first and the second wave. Descriptive analyses were performed. Rating scale scores between first and second wave were compared by paired sample t-tests. In addition, second wave rating scale scores were compared between groups defined by qualitative variables through analyses of variance. Correlations were used to analyze the relation between quantitative variables and second wave rating scale scores. Two final multivariable linear logistic regression models were finally performed with the two rating scale scores in the second wave as dependent variables and statistically significant variables in the univariate analyses as independent ones. Results: Total sample included 25 males and 39 females. 53,2% of workers directly took care of COVID19-infected patients.34% and 18% of the total sample manifested respectively in the first and second wave over the threshold scores for significant Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) symptoms as showed by IESR. In addition, 23,2% and 13% of the total sample manifested respectively in the first and second wave over the threshold scores for significant depressive symptoms as showed by PHQ-9. During the second wave the professionals showed less PTSD (t = 5,536, p<0,001) and depressive symptoms (t=-5,559, p < 0.001) compared to the first one. Regression models showed that: (1) IESR scores were significantly associated with type of ward (COVID emergency or not) (β=0.24, p=0,03);(2) PHQ9 scores were significantly associated with male gender (β=0.32, p=0.01) and IESR scores (β=0.62, p<0,001). Conclusions: despite most of available literature is focused on the negative effect of COVID-19 on patients’ mental health [2,3], also healthcare professionals suffered from the psychological consequences of the pandemic. The difference in the scores between the first and the second wave suggests the fact that health workers passed from an acute mental involvement to a chronic accommodation to a stressing situation. Given the large number of workers fighting worldwide against COVID19 pandemics, the presence of mental illness among them can reach huge proportions. Female workers globally showed lower scores at the PHQ9 scales, suggesting the necessity of further investigations on the association between gender and capacity to manage environmental stressors. No conflict of interest
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Introduction Since the start of the COVID-19 epidemic, hospital staff have been massively affected in most countries, including Tunisia. Objective This study aimed to examine the influence of the gender dimension on COVID-19 contamination expression among Tunisian hospital staff. Methods Based on the COVID-19 register kept by the occupational medicine service and dedicated to hospital staff, data over 8 months were analyzed (September 2020-April 2021). COVID-19 screening was performed among all symptomatic hospital employees, or asymptomatic ones identified as close contact of a patient, colleague or relative confirmed positive for COVID-19. A nasypharyngeal swab was used for viral testing (reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and SARS-CoV-2 Rapid Antigen Test). Chest tomography was reserved for suspected cases with negative viral tests. Results In total, 419 COVID-19 infections were confirmed by rt-PCR in 63.96%, by rapid antigen testing in 33.65% and tomography in 2.39% of cases. Women represented 72.21% of contaminated staff, with average age of 21.75 ± 9.78 years but with no difference between gender groups. The department most affected was gynecology (43 cases), and nurses were the most affected category, especially among female staff (p= 0.016). In addition, fever (p= 0.012), neurological symptoms (p = 0.049), such as aguesia (p = 0.003), were more common in female workers. In contrast, digestive symptoms were more frequent in men (p = 0.0049), especially diarrhea (p = 0.00). In addition, chest tomography COVID-19 confirmation was significantly more common in men (p = 0.012). Hospitalization was indicated in 16 cases, in intensive care in 2 cases with one case of death. No significant difference was noted between genders based on the severity of the COVID-19 infection. Conclusion Gender clinical difference of COVID-19 clinical expression was suggested by our results among health workers without impact on severity. These observations should be confirmed in larger studies.