Conditions of employment, work and quality of life of men and women in informal jobs

OBJECTIVE: Identify gender gaps in the employment conditions, work and quality of life of informal sellers in Vega Central of Chile. METHODS: We conducted a cross-sectional study with eighty workers, who answered modules of the Encuesta Nacional de Condiciones de Empleo, Trabajo y Salud (ENETS – National Survey of Employment, Work and Health Conditions) and the SF-36 Health Questionnaire for data collection. We performed a descriptive analysis to determine the characteristics of the population and the Chi-square test to study correlations between each of the variables with gender. RESULTS: Of the sample, fifty (62.5%) are male and thirty (37.5%) are female. Both groups have similar conditions of employment, work and quality of life. However, women express greater fear than men do with respect to demanding better working conditions, as well as more discouragement and sadness during the workday and a worse perception of their state of health. CONCLUSIONS: Strategies for the promotion and prevention of occupational health and social security should consider a gender perspective on working conditions and health indicators, allowing women to develop tools to demand fair conditions and promote employer obligations to care for the well-being of male and female workers.