O Centro Cirúrgico é um serviço especializado com estrutura física e organizacional complexa, normas e rotinas rigorosas, intensa atividade técnica, aparato tecnológico que requer profissionais treinados. A pesquisa teve como objeto de estudo os fatores de riscos ocupacionais e os problemas de saúde decorrentes do trabalho, identificados pelos profissionais de enfermagem de um Centro Cirúrgico de um Hospital Universitário da cidade do Rio de Janeiro. Os objetivos foram: analisar os fatores de riscos ocupacionais que possibilitam o aparecimento de problemas de saúde nos profissionais de enfermagem do Centro Cirúrgico segundo esses trabalhadores; descrever as características sociodemográficas dos profissionais lotados no Centro Cirúrgico; levantar os fatores de risco do ambiente cirúrgico identificados pelos trabalhadores de enfermagem do Centro Cirúrgico de um Hospital Universitário; e, discutir a relação entre os riscos do ambiente de trabalho e os problemas de saúde autoreferidos por trabalhadores de enfermagem do Centro Cirúrgico. A metodologia usada foi uma pesquisa não-experimental, de natureza descritiva, com abordagem quantitativa, desenvolvida em um centro cirúrgico de um hospital universitário federal da cidade do Rio de Janeiro. A população escolhida foi composta de trabalhadores da equipe de enfermagem, lotados no mínimo há seis meses neste serviço e que aceitassem participar da pesquisa. O questionário de coleta de dados utilizado foi adaptado por Mauro dos Guias e Avaliação de riscos em indústrias de Boix e Vogel. O estudo foi submetido e aprovado pelo Comitê de Ética em Pesquisa (CEP) do Hospital Universitário em estudo, através Parecer Consubstanciado no. 287/10, protocolo no. 217/09. Os dados foram analisados através do Programa Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS), versão 13.0. Os riscos biológicos foram os mais apontados pelos trabalhadores de enfermagem, seguidos dos riscos químicos, ergonômicos e de acidentes ou mecânicos. As doenças provocadas pelo trabalho mais referidas foram o estresse, a lombalgia, as varizes, a fadiga muscular e os problemas de articulação. As doenças agravadas pelo trabalho mais citadas foram as varizes, a lombalgia, os problemas de articulação, o estresse, as lesões de coluna vertebral, os problemas digestivos e os transtornos do sono. Conclui-se que o Serviço estudado possui riscos inerentes às atividades desenvolvidas que caracterizam os problemas relacionados pelos trabalhadores, e que são passíveis de controle através da intensificação de um Programa de Prevenção de Riscos Ambientais voltado para o Centro Cirúrgico. A partir da NR 17 e a 32, pode-se consultar as diretrizes para prevenção dos riscos encontrados. Uma estratégia de reposição digna de pessoal de enfermagem é imprescindível, assim como estudo e implantação de um Programa de Prevenção de Riscos laborais aos trabalhadores do Centro Cirúrgico, e utilização do questionário aos demais membros da equipe multiprofissional. / The Surgical Center is a specialized service with complex physical and organizational structure, strict rules and routines, intense technical activity, technological apparatus that requires trained professionals. The research object was to study the occupational risk factors and health problems resulting from work, identified by the professional nurse in a surgical center of a federal university hospital in the Rio de Janeiros city. The objectives were to assess the occupational risk factors that enable the emergence of health problems in the nursing staff of the Surgical Center, according to these workers, to describe the demographic characteristics of professionals crowded in the Surgical Center, raising the risk factors of the surgical environment identified by the nursing staff of the Surgical Center of University Hospital and discuss the relationship between the risks of working environment and health problems-reported by nursing staff of the Surgical Center. The methodology used was a non-experimental research, descriptive and quantitative approach, developed in a surgical center of a federal university hospital in the Rio de Janeiros city. The population chosen was composed of employees of the nursing staff, crowed at least six months in service and who agreed to participate. The questionnaire used for data collection was adapted by Mauro from Guides and Risk Assessment in industries Boix and Vogel. The study was approved by the Ethics in Research - REC, the University Hospital in a study by Opinion embodied in the. 287/10, Protocol. 217/09. The data were analyzed using the program Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 13.0. Biological hazards were the most frequently reported by nursing staff, followed by chemical, ergonomic and accidents or mechanical. Diseases caused by work stress were more concerned, back pain, varicose veins, muscle fatigue and joint problems. Diseases aggravated by the work cited were more varicose veins, backache, joint problems, stress, injuries to the spine, digestive problems and sleep disorders. It follows that the Service has studied the risks inherent in activities that characterize the problems related workers, and are subject to control by intensifying a Program for the Prevention of Environmental Risks facing the Surgical Center. From the NR 17 and 32, you can consult the guidelines for prevention of the risks found. A replacement strategy worthy of nursing staff is essential, as well as study and implementation of a Program for Prevention of labor risks to workers in Surgical Center, and use the questionnaire to other professionals of this surgery center.

Made available in DSpace on 2014-12-17T15:38:49Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 MarciaMS_DISSERT.pdf: 1140277 bytes, checksum: 6f3dac0aac09ab3f3f8283e8ff7fa807 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2010-07-14 / Coordena??o de Aperfei?oamento de Pessoal de N?vel Superior / Behind the high walls of a prison, there is suffering! Suffering from those who atone to their punishment, from those who work on behalf of an alleged regeneration, suffering that has remained for over two centuries. For those who had their conducts characterized as a crime, many studies have been developed. On the other hand, little is known about the prison servants. This research focused mainly on the identification, from the perspective of the correctional officers from two prisons in different states of Brazil, of the negative influence that their jobs have on them, on the factors that serve as protection, as well as the ones that offer them risk. It was observed that hygiene and security conditions are precarious in both prisons. From the reports, scabies, tuberculosis, hepatitis, H1N1, constant violence, politicization of the working environment, doubled working hours, lack of career planning and salaries emerge as evidence of the place where the bodies who work there are subdued, not taking the differences into account. From the above, and as of the many things that still need to be said about this category, it is reiterated the importance in developing studies about the conditions and the work organization and its implications on the mental health of those workers, who lack of public policies committed to their working realities / Por tr?s dos muros altos de um pres?dio, h? sofrimento! Sofrimento daqueles que expiam suas penas, sofrimento daqueles que trabalham em prol de uma pretensa regenera??o, que vem se mantendo por mais de dois s?culos. Para aqueles que tiveram suas condutas tipificadas como crime, muitos estudos t?m sido produzidos. Por outro lado, pouco se sabe sobre o servidor penitenci?rio. A ?nfase desta investiga??o centrou-se na identifica??o, sob a ?tica dos agentes penitenci?rios de dois pres?dios de diferentes Estados do Brasil, das influ?ncias negativas que seus trabalhos t?m sobre eles mesmos, nos fatores que lhes servem de prote??o, bem como nos fatores que lhes oferecem risco. Observou-se que as condi??es de higiene e de seguran?a s?o prec?rias nos dois pres?dios. Dos relatos, escabioses, tuberculoses, hepatites, H1N1, viol?ncias constantes, politiza??o do ambiente ocupacional, carga hor?ria duplicada, aus?ncia de planos de cargos e sal?rios surgem como reflexos dos locais onde est?o submetidos os corpos que ali trabalham, guardadas as diferen?as. Do exposto, e do muito que ainda precisa ser dito sobre essa categoria, reitera-se a import?ncia em promover estudos com respectivo espa?o de discuss?o acerca das condi??es e da organiza??o do trabalho e de suas implica??es na sa?de mental desses trabalhadores, t?o carentes de pol?ticas p?blicas compromissadas com suas realidades de trabalho

Introdução: o trabalho da equipe de enfermagem nas unidades hospitalares, voltado à assistência aos seres humanos, pode gerar desgastes e tensões de natureza diversa. Objetivo: analisar os fatores associados à capacidade inadequada para o trabalho e à percepção de alta fadiga entre trabalhadores de enfermagem. Método: estudo transversal desenvolvido com 272 trabalhadores pertencentes à equipe de enfermagem do Hospital de Urgência e Emergência de Rio Branco-Acre. Os dados foram coletados por meio de entrevistas utilizando os seguintes instrumentos: questionário sociodemográfico, condições de trabalho e estilo de vida; Índice de Capacidade para o Trabalho - ICT e Questionário de Percepção de Fadiga. Para análise dos fatores associados à capacidade para o trabalho e percepção de fadiga foi utilizada regressão de Poisson bivariada e múltipla. A análise múltipla seguiu um modelo conceitual considerando quatro níveis hierárquicos: fatores sociodemográficos, condições de trabalho, estilo de vida e morbidades referidas. Resultados: A média de idade da população foi de 41,7 anos e 82 por cento dos sujeitos eram do sexo feminino. Constatou-se que 69,5 por cento não praticavam atividade física, 16 por cento eram tabagistas e 15,4 por cento ingeriam bebida alcoólica pelo menos uma vez por semana. Com referência à categoria profissional, 50,3 por cento eram técnicos de enfermagem e a jornada de trabalho semanal total foi de 63,6 horas em média. As morbidades referidas com diagnóstico médico mais prevalentes foram: doenças músculoesqueléticas (37,1 por cento), doenças do aparelho digestivo (28,7 por cento) e transtornos mentais (28,3 por cento). As morbidades referidas sem diagnóstico médico obtiveram as seguintes prevalências: doenças musculoesqueléticas (20,6 por cento), doenças neurológicas e dos órgãos dos sentidos (14,7 por cento) e transtornos mentais (9,9 por cento). A prevalência de capacidade inadequada para o trabalho foi de 40,8 por cento. As variáveis associadas à perda da capacidade para o trabalho foram: sexo, outro vínculo empregatício, número de funcionários insuficientes, tarefas repetitivas e monótonas, referência a 3 ou mais morbidades sem diagnóstico médico e alto nível de fadiga. A prevalência de fadiga alta foi de 25,7 por cento e os fatores associados foram renda e morbidades referidas com diagnóstico médico. Conclusão: o estudo evidencia que grande parte população estudada apresenta perda da capacidade para o trabalho e níveis altos de fadiga. Em decorrência dos resultados apresentados sugere-se intervenções no plano individual (estilo de vida e saúde) e no ambiente de trabalho, principalmente no que tange a aspectos organizacionais. Tais intervenções visariam desenvolver ações de promoção da saúde e prevenção de agravos entre os trabalhadores / Introduction: the work of nursing teams at hospital units providing human healthcare can lead to fatigue and tensions due to a host of different factors. Aim: to analyze the factors associated with inadequate work ability and perceived high fatigue in nursing workers. Method: a transversal study was conducted involving 272 workers from the nursing team of the Emergency Hospital Unit of Rio Branco, Acre State, Brazil. Data was collected by means of interviews using the following instruments: a sociodemographic questionnaire, work conditions and life style; the Work Ability Index, and Fatigue Perception Questionnaire. Bivariate and multiple Poisson regression were used to analyze the factors associated with inadequate work ability and with high fatigue perception. The multiple analysis was based on a conceptual model comprising four hierarchical levels: sociodemographic factors, work conditions, lifestyle and reported morbidities. Results: the mean age of the population was 41.7 years and 82 per cent of subjects were women. A total of 69.5 per cent of subjects practiced no physical activity, 16 per cent were smokers, and 15.4 per cent consumed alcoholic beverages at least once per week. Regarding professional category, 50.3 per cent were nursing technicians with a 63.6 hour average working week. The most prevalent clinically diagnosed morbidities reported were: musculoskeletal problems (37,1 per cent), digestive tract diseases (28,7 per cent) and mental disorders (28,3 per cent). The most prevalent non-clinically confirmed morbidities included: musculoskeletal diseases (20.6 per cent), neurological diseases and sensory organ disturbances (14.7 per cent) and mental disorders (9.9 per cent). The prevalence of inadequate work ability was 40.8 per cent. The following variables were found to be associated with loss of work ability: gender, other work commitment, understaffing, repetitive and monotonous tasks, 3 or more reported clinically non-confirmed morbidities, and high fatigue. The prevalence of high fatigue was 25.7 per cent and associated factors were: income and reported clinically-confirmed morbidity. Conclusion: the study showed that the majority of the population studied presented loss of work ability and high fatigue. These results suggest interventions at an individual level (life style and health) and within the workplace, particularly with regard to organizational aspects. Such interventions can entail actions to promote health and to prevent health issues among nursing workers

O setor fumageiro no Brasil vem contribuindo expressivamente para o crescimento da economia nacional, em especial para o desenvolvimento da região do Vale do Rio Pardo, no estado do Rio Grande do sul. No entanto, os pequenos fumicultores desta região carecem de mais atenção no que se refere a sua saúde. Para atingir o nível de qualidade exigido, o trabalho desenvolvido nestas lavouras expõe estes trabalhadores a intempéries climáticas, a adoção de posturas desfavoráveis, exigindo também o emprego de grande esforço físico. A associação destes fatores de risco podem favorecer o surgimento de problemas de saúde, além de alterações no desempenho funcional, que em curto ou longo prazo podem levar ao afastamento do trabalho. Este estudo buscou levantar dados a respeito da situação atual de saúde dos fumicultores, bem como mapear o processo produtivo de fumo nestas pequenas propriedades e realizar uma análise ergonômica deste. Através da comparação dos dados coletados com os encontrados na literatura, foi possível verificar que as condições de trabalho podem estar influenciando nas condições de saúde e segurança desta população. A partir de então, foram formuladas propostas de ações que visam melhorar estas condições laborais, assim como diminuir sua influência na saúde e segurança destes trabalhadores. / The tobacco sector in Brazil has grown in recent years, contributing significantly to the growth of national economy, specially the development of Vale do Rio Pardo, in state of Rio Grande do Sul. However, the small tobacco growers in this region require further attention regarding to their health, because to achieve the required quality, the work developed in these crops exposes these workers to bad weather, the adoption of awkward postures and required the use of excessive physical efforts. The association of these risk factors can favor the appearance of health problems, changes in performance, that in short or long term can lead to a great absenteeism. This study aimed to collect data about the current health state of local tobacco growers, map the production process of tobacco in these smaller properties and perform an ergonomic analysis. By comparing the data collected with the data found in the literature it was concluded that working conditions can be influencing the health and safety of this population. From then, there were formulated proposals of actions that aim to improve the work conditions, as well as to reduce his influence in the health and security of these workers.

Made available in DSpace on 2017-07-10T14:17:11Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 DISSERTACAOFINALNANCI_FERREIRA_PINTO.pdf: 3364493 bytes, checksum: 4f0be8eb75b734cee60a4a35a098ccda (MD5) Previous issue date: 2015-07-14 / Sericulture, the rearing of silkworm for the production of silk cocoons, is an activity included in the agro-industrial complex of silk, monopolized by one company in Brazil. It is executed by small farmers and their families. International studies indicate the occurrence of diseases related to this activity. In Brazil, there are no studies on these workers health. This research aimed at understanding the health-disease process of sericulture workers in the State of Paraná. Qualitative analysis was carried out through observations, interviews and focus group. Nine sericulture workers were interviewed in the cities of Arapongas and Diamante do Sul, in Paraná. The focus group was conducted with four interviewees in the city of Arapongas. Data examining was based on the identification of the elements that corresponded to the singular, the particular and the general instances, taking as a guide the work process category, which produced the interrelation with the health-disease process. The families way of life is characterized by difficulty in developing autonomous production lines, difficult access to public credit, lack of public technical assistance to other production lines, seasonal income, and development of various activities in order to arrange their income. In the technical process of work, there is the contact with toxic chemical substances, prolonged working hours, situations of suffering, and risk of accident with fire and snakes. Complaints and injuries were reported: physical fatigue, backache, chronic laryngitis, shortness of breath, gastritis, eye irritation, stomachache, stress, and anxiety. Monitoring the health of sericulture workers and their families is urgent. There is a lack of information for the workers about loads, work processes and health effects. It is up to the Brazilian unified health system SUS to develop strategies for communicating risk. There is need for studies about child and adolescent labor in the integrated production system. Situations related to accidents with snakes and fire must be monitored / A sericicultura, criação do bicho-da-seda para a produção de casulos de seda, é uma atividade que se inclui no complexo agroindustrial da seda, monopolizado por uma empresa no Brasil. É realizada por pequenos agricultores e suas famílias. Estudos internacionais evidenciam a ocorrência de agravos relacionados a essa atividade. No Brasil inexistem estudos sobre a saúde desses trabalhadores. A presente pesquisa teve como objetivo compreender o processo saúde-doença dos trabalhadores da sericicultura do Paraná. Foi realizada análise qualitativa por meio de observações, entrevistas e grupo focal. Foram entrevistados nove sericicultores dos municípios de Arapongas e Diamante do Sul, no Paraná. O grupo focal foi realizado com quatro entrevistados do município de Arapongas. O tratamento dos dados se deu a partir da identificação dos elementos que correspondiam às instâncias do singular, do particular e do geral tendo como fio condutor a categoria processo de trabalho, que permitiu fazer a inter-relação com o processo saúde-doença. O modo de vida das famílias se caracteriza por dificuldade de desenvolvimento de linhas de produção autônomas, acesso difícil a crédito público, falta de assistência técnica pública para outras linhas de produção, renda sazonal, desenvolvimento de várias atividades para composição da renda. No processo técnico de trabalho há o contato com substâncias químicas tóxicas, jornadas prolongadas de trabalho, situações de sofrimento e risco de acidente com fogo e serpentes. Foram referidas como queixas e agravos: cansaço físico, dor nas costas, laringite crônica, falta de ar, gastrite, irritação nos olhos, dores de estômago, estresse e preocupação. É urgente o monitoramento da saúde dos sericicultores e suas famílias. Há falta de informação aos trabalhadores sobre cargas, processos de trabalho e efeitos a saúde. Cabe aos profissionais do SUS o desenvolvimento de estratégias de comunicação de risco. Há necessidade de estudos sobre o trabalho infantil e adolescente no sistema integrado de produção. Situações relacionadas a acidentes com serpentes e com fogo precisam ser monitoradas.

Introdução: o trabalho da equipe de enfermagem nas unidades hospitalares, voltado à assistência aos seres humanos, pode gerar desgastes e tensões de natureza diversa. Objetivo: analisar os fatores associados à capacidade inadequada para o trabalho e à percepção de alta fadiga entre trabalhadores de enfermagem. Método: estudo transversal desenvolvido com 272 trabalhadores pertencentes à equipe de enfermagem do Hospital de Urgência e Emergência de Rio Branco-Acre. Os dados foram coletados por meio de entrevistas utilizando os seguintes instrumentos: questionário sociodemográfico, condições de trabalho e estilo de vida; Índice de Capacidade para o Trabalho - ICT e Questionário de Percepção de Fadiga. Para análise dos fatores associados à capacidade para o trabalho e percepção de fadiga foi utilizada regressão de Poisson bivariada e múltipla. A análise múltipla seguiu um modelo conceitual considerando quatro níveis hierárquicos: fatores sociodemográficos, condições de trabalho, estilo de vida e morbidades referidas. Resultados: A média de idade da população foi de 41,7 anos e 82 por cento dos sujeitos eram do sexo feminino. Constatou-se que 69,5 por cento não praticavam atividade física, 16 por cento eram tabagistas e 15,4 por cento ingeriam bebida alcoólica pelo menos uma vez por semana. Com referência à categoria profissional, 50,3 por cento eram técnicos de enfermagem e a jornada de trabalho semanal total foi de 63,6 horas em média. As morbidades referidas com diagnóstico médico mais prevalentes foram: doenças músculoesqueléticas (37,1 por cento), doenças do aparelho digestivo (28,7 por cento) e transtornos mentais (28,3 por cento). As morbidades referidas sem diagnóstico médico obtiveram as seguintes prevalências: doenças musculoesqueléticas (20,6 por cento), doenças neurológicas e dos órgãos dos sentidos (14,7 por cento) e transtornos mentais (9,9 por cento). A prevalência de capacidade inadequada para o trabalho foi de 40,8 por cento. As variáveis associadas à perda da capacidade para o trabalho foram: sexo, outro vínculo empregatício, número de funcionários insuficientes, tarefas repetitivas e monótonas, referência a 3 ou mais morbidades sem diagnóstico médico e alto nível de fadiga. A prevalência de fadiga alta foi de 25,7 por cento e os fatores associados foram renda e morbidades referidas com diagnóstico médico. Conclusão: o estudo evidencia que grande parte população estudada apresenta perda da capacidade para o trabalho e níveis altos de fadiga. Em decorrência dos resultados apresentados sugere-se intervenções no plano individual (estilo de vida e saúde) e no ambiente de trabalho, principalmente no que tange a aspectos organizacionais. Tais intervenções visariam desenvolver ações de promoção da saúde e prevenção de agravos entre os trabalhadores / Introduction: the work of nursing teams at hospital units providing human healthcare can lead to fatigue and tensions due to a host of different factors. Aim: to analyze the factors associated with inadequate work ability and perceived high fatigue in nursing workers. Method: a transversal study was conducted involving 272 workers from the nursing team of the Emergency Hospital Unit of Rio Branco, Acre State, Brazil. Data was collected by means of interviews using the following instruments: a sociodemographic questionnaire, work conditions and life style; the Work Ability Index, and Fatigue Perception Questionnaire. Bivariate and multiple Poisson regression were used to analyze the factors associated with inadequate work ability and with high fatigue perception. The multiple analysis was based on a conceptual model comprising four hierarchical levels: sociodemographic factors, work conditions, lifestyle and reported morbidities. Results: the mean age of the population was 41.7 years and 82 per cent of subjects were women. A total of 69.5 per cent of subjects practiced no physical activity, 16 per cent were smokers, and 15.4 per cent consumed alcoholic beverages at least once per week. Regarding professional category, 50.3 per cent were nursing technicians with a 63.6 hour average working week. The most prevalent clinically diagnosed morbidities reported were: musculoskeletal problems (37,1 per cent), digestive tract diseases (28,7 per cent) and mental disorders (28,3 per cent). The most prevalent non-clinically confirmed morbidities included: musculoskeletal diseases (20.6 per cent), neurological diseases and sensory organ disturbances (14.7 per cent) and mental disorders (9.9 per cent). The prevalence of inadequate work ability was 40.8 per cent. The following variables were found to be associated with loss of work ability: gender, other work commitment, understaffing, repetitive and monotonous tasks, 3 or more reported clinically non-confirmed morbidities, and high fatigue. The prevalence of high fatigue was 25.7 per cent and associated factors were: income and reported clinically-confirmed morbidity. Conclusion: the study showed that the majority of the population studied presented loss of work ability and high fatigue. These results suggest interventions at an individual level (life style and health) and within the workplace, particularly with regard to organizational aspects. Such interventions can entail actions to promote health and to prevent health issues among nursing workers

The purpose of this study was to examine how middle managers within the social services in Sweden perceived their working conditions. The study group included 475 middle managers who were registered in the labour union akademikerförbundet SSR. The study group answered a digital questionnaire based on Karasek’s control and demand model which contained questions concerning their working environment. The result showed that 80 percent of the managers worked more than 40 hours a week and 60 percent of the managers experience high job strain. Four groups with different working conditions were identified through Karasek's control and demand model and the one that showed the most alarming working conditions were analysed further, the high strained group. Within our studygroup we also identified a utterly small group that could be defined as ISO-strained. This working condition is the most harmful working situation for your health since it contains high risk of psychological strain and physical illness.

<p>Adverse birth outcomes like preterm birth and infant mortality are unevenly distributed across socio-economic groups. Risks are usually lowest in groups with high socio-economic status and increase with decreasing status.</p><p>The general aim of this thesis was to contribute to the understanding of the relation between socio-economic status and birth outcomes, focussing on maternal education and class, studying a range of birth outcomes. More specific aims were to investigate the relation between maternal education and infant health, to study the combined influence of maternal childhood and adult social class on inequalities in infant health and to explore the contribution of maternal working conditions to class inequalities in birth outcomes. The studies are population based, focussing on singletons births 1973-1990. During the period under study, educational differences in birth outcomes increased, especially between those with the lowest and highest education. The low birth weight paradox emerged, suggesting that the distribution of determinants for low birthweight infants differs for these groups.</p><p>Further, an independent association was found between maternal childhood social class and low birthweight and neonatal mortality, but not for postneonatal mortality. Since this was found for the two outcomes closest to birth, this indicates that the association is mediated through the maternal body.</p><p>Finally, there is a contribution of maternal working conditions to class inequalities in birth outcome. Lower job control, higher job hazards and higher physical demands were all to some degree related to increased risk of the following adverse birth outcomes: infant mortality, low birthweight, very low birthweight, foetal growth, preterm birth, very and extremely preterm birth. Working conditions demonstrated disparate associations with the birth outcomes, indicating a high complexity in these relationships.</p>

<p>The under-representation of women in higher hierarchical positions and company boards today is a fact that affects not only the women striving for these positions but also the companies that face a loss of competent personnel in their companies. We found it interesting to find out whether or not women are striving for leading positions, in the first place and what factors motivate and discourage them to strive for a career and what incentives companies could offer to increase their motivation.</p><p>We adopt a company perspective in this thesis since we want to study this matter for the benefit of companies. If they knew more about what women want, they would be able to emphasize these conditions and motivate more women to strive for a career. Motivation theories as Maslow’s hierarchy of needs and Herzberg’s two-factor theory are used to give us a basic understanding of motivation and they also function as a foundation for our survey. Consequently, we follow a deductive approach.</p><p>This study is focusing on Swedish female business students and a survey among the female students of the USBE has been carried out to generate emprical data. We defined career in this thesis as: “striving for high hierarchical positions with high responsibility and decisive power”. The majority of respondents stated to be striving for a career but not everyone was striving according to our definition. We found almost half of the respondents to be to some extent striving for a career according to our definition and 42 percent agreed to completely strive for a career.</p><p>The most important motivating factors were found to be “to have a stimulating job” and “to be financially independent”. The strongest factors that have a negative influence on the respondents’ career motivation were “to have little time for family” and “to have a low salary in relation to work effort”. Furthermore, “equal salary for both men and woman”, “professional training” and “good promotion possibilities” were ranked the highest of the alternatives for incentives that companies could offer.</p><p>As the data suggested that the vast majority of our respondents can be encouraged in their career striving, companies should consider offering incentives and improving the general job conditions. The most promising strategies are adjusting the women’s salaries to those of their male colleagues, providing full-time day care near the workplace and offering professional training. The Swedish government could contribute in this field by enforcing the law that requires equal salries for both sexes, by stronger controlls and more severe punishments.</p><p>Suggestions for further research are, for instance, to study what companies actually do today to motivate women in their career striving.</p>

Adverse birth outcomes like preterm birth and infant mortality are unevenly distributed across socio-economic groups. Risks are usually lowest in groups with high socio-economic status and increase with decreasing status. The general aim of this thesis was to contribute to the understanding of the relation between socio-economic status and birth outcomes, focussing on maternal education and class, studying a range of birth outcomes. More specific aims were to investigate the relation between maternal education and infant health, to study the combined influence of maternal childhood and adult social class on inequalities in infant health and to explore the contribution of maternal working conditions to class inequalities in birth outcomes. The studies are population based, focussing on singletons births 1973-1990. During the period under study, educational differences in birth outcomes increased, especially between those with the lowest and highest education. The low birth weight paradox emerged, suggesting that the distribution of determinants for low birthweight infants differs for these groups. Further, an independent association was found between maternal childhood social class and low birthweight and neonatal mortality, but not for postneonatal mortality. Since this was found for the two outcomes closest to birth, this indicates that the association is mediated through the maternal body. Finally, there is a contribution of maternal working conditions to class inequalities in birth outcome. Lower job control, higher job hazards and higher physical demands were all to some degree related to increased risk of the following adverse birth outcomes: infant mortality, low birthweight, very low birthweight, foetal growth, preterm birth, very and extremely preterm birth. Working conditions demonstrated disparate associations with the birth outcomes, indicating a high complexity in these relationships.