Promoting Health for Working Women / Edition 1

by Athena Linos, Wilhelm Kirch

Overview

Based on European health initiatives on reducing workplace risks and promoting workplace health, this book focuses on issues that predominantly or exclusively affect women, or have gender-specific implications due to workplace inequalities. Among the topics covered: occupational hazards, work/life balance issues, pregnancy, smoking cessation, alcohol awareness, diet/exercise and other lifestyle concerns.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780387730370
Publisher:	Springer New York
Publication date:	12/06/2007
Edition description:	2008
Pages:	338
Product dimensions:	6.10(w) x 9.25(h) x 0.03(d)

About the Author

Athena Linos is Associate Professor in the Department of Hygiene and Epidemiology at the University of Athens Medical School.

Wilhelm Kirch is Chair of the Institute for Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics at the Medical Faculty of Dresden University of Technology. He is a past president of the European Public Health Association. He published Extreme Weather Events and Public Health Responses (2005) with Springer, and he is editor of our forthcoming Encyclopedia of Public Health (2008).

Table of Contents

General Principles and Concepts.- to Health Promotion for Working Women: A Methodology.- The Legal Context for Workplace Safety and Health Promotion: Thinking of Women.- Specific Health Topics.- Workplace Health Promotion Interventions ConcerningWomenWorkers' Occupational Hazards.- Mental Health Disorders and Work-life Balance.- Musculoskeletal Disorders.- Work-Related Violence, Bullying, and Sexual Harassment.- Promoting Health for Working Women—Communicable Diseases.- Screening at the Workplace and Female Employees.- Women’s Reproductive Health Issues.- Workplace Health Promotion Aiming at Safe Working Environments for Pregnant Women.- Workplace Health Promotion Aimed at Increasing Breastfeeding.- Lifestyle Determinants.- Promoting Tobacco Awareness and Smoking Cessation for Working Women.- Women, Health, and Alcohol-related Harm.- Promoting Physical Activity and a Healthy Diet among Working Women.

Editorial Reviews

Reviewer: Kathleen M Vetter, MPH (University of Illinois at Chicago School of Public Health)
Description: This book describes workplace health promotion and argues for gender-specific programs aimed at prevention of workplace related sickness, injury, and disability and adoption of healthy behaviors, including early disease detection (screening).
Purpose: The intention is to provide background information to those who want to develop and implement workplace health promotion programs, especially programs focused on women's needs. The author of the foreword is hopeful that this compilation will inspire researchers and practitioners to transform programs to address the needs of all workers.
Audience: The editors envision their book as a tool to enable public health professionals to participate in the development of workplace health promotion programs. It is accessible to those without expertise in health promotion or occupational safety and health. Although some references are North American, the book has a European point of view: its authors and editors are European experts, the legal information and data are European, and the work was funded by European organizations.
Features: The book opens with background information on health promotion theory and practice and European laws regarding occupation safety and health. Early on, the authors argue that the European Union's gender-neutral approach to occupational safety and health (in policies and practices) is not sufficient given the gender-specific issues encountered by working women. Later chapters cover specific topics related to occupational risks and their prevention, pregnancy and breast-feeding issues for working women, and using the workplace to promote healthy behaviors. The chapters include relevant epidemiological data and information regarding randomized controlled trials, as well as figures and tables, some in color, that provide visual enhancement. Content-specific chapters include information that is not too technical (remains understandable to the nonexpert public health professional) and examples that illustrate practical application.
Assessment: The editors have succeeded in covering the breadth of issues regarding workplace health promotion and make a solid argument for addressing the specific needs of working women. The presentation might prompt leaders who read it to fund such programs and it would be a valuable resource for public health professionals involved in the design and/or implementation of the programs. The book would also be a useful teaching tool. Finally, because it highlights the need for a larger evidence base, it should encourage collaboration between researchers and practitioners to develop more effective programs to protect the health of working women.

Doody's Review Service

From the reviews:

"Filled with useful tips for public health care workers, the 13 articles of this volume address health and its promotion for working women. … The articles are based on European case studies but have been tailored towards practical application, with reports on the research findings and EU standards accompanied by bulleted lists of suggestions for health promotion." (www.booknews.com, April, 2008)

"This book describes workplace health promotion and argues for gender-specific programs … . It is accessible to those without expertise in health promotion or occupational safety and health. … The editors have succeeded in covering the breadth of issues regarding workplace health promotion and make a solid argument for addressing the specific needs of working women. … a valuable resource for public health professionals involved in the design and/or implementation of the programs. The book would also be a useful teaching tool." (Kathleen M. Vetter, Doody’s Review Service, October, 2008)

From the Publisher