Occupational health of working women in China.

Abstract

This paper is a review of occupational health of working women in China over the past 37 years. Only four papers in connection with the subject of occupational health for working women published before liberation could be found, in which only 543 female workers were surveyed. Since liberation, 317 papers on the subject have been published, Involving 934, 177 female workers. Owing to tradition and the physiological features women are endowed with, they have a heavy load; what is usually known in China as the ‘double burden'. That is to say, women are not only taking care of household duties but also bearing children. This paper summarises some major occupational hazards Chinese working women are exposed to, such as chemical, physical, and biological agents and their effects. It also lists certain effective preventative measures now being taken in China.