Influence of gender on work-related musculoskeletal disorders in repetitive tasks

Is there a gender difference in the effect of work-related physical and psychosocial risk factors on musculoskeletal symptoms and related sickness absence?

“…Such a difference may lead to different and possibly higher exposure for women. However, gender differences in musculoskeletal symptoms have also been found between men and women within the same occupational class (36) and with the same tasks (37). Furthermore, it has been shown that the gender difference in musculoskeletal symptoms and related sickness absence did not disappear after correction for a wide variety of both physical and psychosocial risk factors at work as well as at home (Unpublished data: Hooftman WE, van der Beek AJ, Bongers PM, et al Gender differences in the prevalence of musculoskeletal symptoms are not caused by exposure differences).…”

The demographic and contextual correlates of work‐related repetitive strain injuries among canadian men and women

“…Supporting the notion that work exposures are a major contributing factor for gender differences, some studies examining exposure differences tend to find that MSK complaints are not significantly different when comparing men and women in the same occupational categories or performing the same tasks [Silverstein et al, 1987;Coury et al, 2002; European Agency for Safety and Health at Work, 2003]. However, a review of specific exposures and MSK complaints suggests certain vulnerabilities for both men and women [Hooftman et al, 2004].…”

“…Also lower extremity MSK complaints are higher among women as well [Messing et al, 2008;Messing et al, 2009]. However, less consistent is research examining back complaints, where some studies indicate increased prevalence for women [Krause et al, 1997;de Zwart et al, 1997], while others report increased prevalence for men [Leino-Arjas, 1998;Hooftman et al, 2009].Supporting the notion that work exposures are a major contributing factor for gender differences, some studies examining exposure differences tend to find that MSK complaints are not significantly different when comparing men and women in the same occupational categories or performing the same tasks [Silverstein et al, 1987;Coury et al, 2002; European Agency for Safety and Health at Work, 2003]. However, a review of specific exposures and MSK complaints suggests certain vulnerabilities for both men and women [Hooftman et al, 2004].…”

Relationship between psychosocial factors and musculoskeletal disorders in footwear industry workers

“…Soon, two of these factors are related to the human organism and three to organizational factors. For organizational factors, studies of de Zwart et al (2001) with workers the same occupational class, and Coury et al (2002) with workers who perform the same function show that different results can be observed in men and women. Still on the organizational factors, Hooftman et al (2009) affirm that exposure to different ways of doing the job is very small or obsolete when analyzed the set of variables present in the day's work.…”