The work and health of adolescents: the gender aspects

Abstract

The purpose of the research is to study the gender aspects of the employment of adolescents, working in the time free from their study, and its impact on the livestyle and health, to assess the risks to health of students. There was studied the employment of senior pupils and students of vocational schools (1.2 thousand persons at the age from 14 till 18 years) in 5 regions of the Russian Federation. The results indicate to a prevalence of illegal employment of the minors. Among young men 62% work part time, among young women - 37%. Violations of hygienic requirements for working conditions and labor law violations are more common in young men employment. The first experience of work can render negative impact on the lifestyle and the state of health. In the working adolescents there is observed the higher prevalence of the behavioral risk factors (smoking, alcohol, drugs, sleep deprivation and others). Adolescents with work experience have lower health status. The analysis of odds ratio (OR), relative risk (RR), etiological fraction (EF) showed that to the higher health risk there are exposed teenagers working constantly throughout the year. In this group among girls there is a high prevalence of chronic diseases (RR = 2; OR = 3.9), of complaints of indigestion (RR = 2; OR = 2.5). In the group of young men, working continuously, the percentage of frequently ill with acute respiratory infections is higher (RR = 3.3; OR = 3.7), there is a higher number of complaints of heartburn (RR = 2.1; OR = 2.6), back pain (RR = 1.8; OR = 2.2). Working young men have higher health risk by comparison with working young women.