Gender (in)equality in the labor market: a case study of Environmental Health Officers

Abstract

Abstract The female gender has been discriminated, as it is considered inferior, in relation to the male. In the health sector, although the proportion of women has increased, the occupational segregation still persist. The mortality rate reduction, is largely due to the unrecognized contribution of women. Segregation manifests itself in a variety of ways, ranging from a limited set of opportunities to wage disparities. It's paradox since, even in “mostly female” jobs, like Environmental Health (EH), the minority of men usually have an “escalator”, reaching leadership quickly. This abstract addresses the gaps in the challenges of gender inequality in EH, since the fact that women are a health driver is been ignored. We seek to know the attitudes and opinions of the Environmental Health Officers (EHO), about: identity centralities; discrimination in society, profession and organization. This study is observational, descriptive, cross-sectional and level of knowledge II. The target population comprises by EHO (women and men). The sample design adopted was non-probabilistic and technical for convenience. The information was collected through a digital questionnaire. On average, men presented a more conservative view, compared to the female, associating women to mother's role and housewives, revealing a certain conservatism. There was, therefore, a prevalence of gender stereotypes. A correlation was found, about the organizational discrimination, since who revelead a minor difference between genders, were also those who presented a lower index of stereotypes. In other words, an organization that provides a life balance, leads its workers to desconstruct social and professional stereotypes. In conclusion, a gender diagnosis is essential to identify asymmetries and to start the change. This study identifies and analyzes inequalities in the EH area. Most of the results found follow the literature and are relevant to define future strategies. Key messages Global health organizations are starting to recognize the importance of gender challenges as a way to achieve universal health coverage which facilitates a new narrative. Recent data from the International Labor Organization estimate that gender pay gaps in the health sector are higher compared to other sectors, although women hold a large number of health jobs.