Health and work in adult women: population-based study in Campinas, Sao Paulo, Brazil

INTRODUCTION: Little is known about the relationship between employment status and socioeconomic status on the health of Brazilian women.This study assessed social inequality in health among housewives and employed women between 18 and 64 years of age according to level of schooling (<9 and 9+ years of study).

METHODS: A population-based cross-sectional study was carried out with conglomerate sampling. 668 women were analyzed from a health survey carried out in Campinas, Sao Paulo, Brazil in 2008. Were analysed: health status (self-assessment health, limiting long-standing illness, chronic conditions, self-reported health problems and mental health) and health related behaviours (leisure-time physical activity, hours of sleeping, smoking, alcohol abuse and consumption of fruits and vegetables). Prevalence values were estimated and prevalence ratios were adjusted using Poisson regression and considering weights related to the sampling design.

RESULTS: The proportion of housewives was higher among women of low level of schooling, 44.6% versus 19.9%. After adjusting for age, housewives of low educational level had greater prevalence values for a worse self-assessment of health (PR=2.69) and non-daily consumption fruits or vegetables (PR= 1.15). No differences were found for self-assessment health among women of high educational level, but found higher prevalence of common mental disorders (PR=2.49), and lower prevalence of smokind (PR=0.92) and non-daily consumption fruits or vegetables (PR= 0.79) among housewises of high level of schooling.

CONCLUSIONS: Among the indicators analyzed, we highlight the differences in mental health and health related behaviors between housewives and workers. Housewives of high level of schooling have more common mental disorder compared the employed women. However, the health related behaviours were less unfavourable for housewives of high educational level. These results emphasize the need to consider the interaction between the level of schooling and insertion in the production process in the development of policies to promote the women’s health.