Male Occupations Research Articles

Prevalence and risk factors for Achilles tendon rupture in the military population from 2006 to 2015: a retrospective cohort study

IntroductionAchilles tendon rupture (ATR) is a serious musculoskeletal injury that results in substantial functional decline, especially in highly physically demanding occupations such as service in the military. The purpose of...

Nephila spider male aggregation: preference for optimal female size and web clustering.

Sexual size dimorphism theory predicts biased operational sex ratios (OSRs) and an uneven distribution of males among certain females. We studied this phenomenon through a field census of the giant wood spider Nephila pilipes (family Nephilidae) in Singapore, a species where females are, on average, 6.9 times larger than males. Specifically, we tested two hypotheses concerning male distribution, given their tendency to aggregate in certain female webs. The optimal female size hypothesis predicts that males would predominantly occupy webs of intermediate-sized females. The web clustering hypothesis posits that more males would be found in webs closer together compared to those farther apart. Our snapshot census revealed a female-biased OSR (females: males = 1.85) with an uneven distribution of males in female webs. Most males were found in webs of intermediate-sized females aligning with the optimal female size hypothesis. Proximity among female webs was indicative of male presence, lending support to the web clustering hypothesis. While our study's limited sample size warrants caution, we conclude that in N. pilipes, male occupation of female webs is facilitated by the clustering of webs, and males prefer to cohabit with optimally sized, receptive females.

Experimental Designs in Management Studies for Bias Assessment: Setting and Stimulus Material

This manuscript stems from an ongoing research project on gender inequality in Portuguese businesses, particularly concerning access to leadership positions. It aims to provide new insights into the constraints that limit women’s access to managerial roles – both from the worker/employee’s perspective, by exploring expectations, aspirations, and perceived barriers, and from the employer/hierarchy’s perspective, by analysing which biases in recruitment and promotion processes are likely to limit women’s rise to top management positions. Against this analytical background, this paper aims to provide a reflection on the inquiry protocol developed within the project, with particular emphasis on the quantitative approach based on an experimental design. A survey has been developed targeting professionals and directors of large, listed companies and large/medium unlisted companies, where the respondents are given the framework of hiring hypothetical applicants for a management position. The methodological protocol involves elaborating different fictitious CV profiles, representing hypothetical candidates. These profiles are constructed by varying attributes according to various dimensions, specifically gender, combined with educational and professional characteristics. Based on the process of designing the experimental setting, the aim is to reflect on the nuances, obstacles, and limitations in constructing a set of stimulus materials and manipulating the experimental conditions regarding the fictitious applicants’ characteristics (including gender), vertical segregation (‘glass ceiling’ in access to top management positions), horizontal segregation (i.e., associating candidates with typically female or male occupations) and measurement items/scales for assessing the applicants in different dimensions (e.g., perceived competence, job fit, promotion recommendation, etc.). Therefore, this paper aims to reflect on the methodological challenges and advantages of an experimental research design and data analysis strategy to address gender bias in hiring contexts and capable of sustaining an ongoing data observatory to support the definition of public policies and organisational practices aimed at promoting gender equality in top positions.

Covid-19 vaccination acceptance among visitors of Erbil primary health care centers

Background: Vaccination is probably the most effective approach to prevent and control COVID-19. Studies assessing acceptance towards vaccination showed huge regional variations. Objective: To find out the rate of acceptance of Covid 19 vaccine and its associated factors as well as to explore out both the most frequent reasons behind acceptance or refusal of this vaccine and the most received and preferred type. Patients and Methods: In this cross-sectional study, a convenience sample of 1000 visitors to primary health care centers (PHCCs) in Erbil/Iraq, aged 18 years and older, were collected from December 2021 to December 2022. A structured questionnaire was used for data collection through a direct interview. Results: The study showed that 43.9% of the participants accepted the vaccine. The main reason behind refusal (53.8%) was not trusting its development, while the main reasons for receiving were to protect themselves (44.2%), majority of those vaccinated (76.5%) received Pfizer, which was the most preferred type (67.4%), 10.3% of them were not completing the recommended dose and the most common reasons behind this were neglect and shortage of time (31%), and afraid from side effects (31%). A significant association found between vaccination practice with gender, education, occupation, family income and socioeconomic status. Vaccinated persons were less likely to be infected with COVID19 (20.7%) than nonvaccinated ones (62.7%). Conclusion: Less than half of the participants were accepted the vaccine and the acceptance rate significantly associated with male gender, education, occupation, family income, and socioeconomic status. Keywords: COVID-19 vaccination acceptance, vaccine, primary health care centers .

Covid-19 vaccination acceptance among visitors of Erbil primary health care centers

Background: Vaccination is probably the most effective approach to prevent and control COVID-19. Studies assessing acceptance towards vaccination showed huge regional variations. Objective: To find out the rate of acceptance of Covid 19 vaccine and its associated factors as well as to explore out both the most frequent reasons behind acceptance or refusal of this vaccine and the most received and preferred type Patients and Methods: In this cross-sectional study, a convenience sample of 1000 visitors to primary health care centers (PHCCs) in Erbil/Iraq, aged 18 years and older, were collected from December 2021 to December 2022. A structured questionnaire was used for data collection through a direct interview. Results: The study showed that 43.9% of the participants accepted the vaccine. The main reason behind refusal (53.8%) was not trusting its development, while the main reasons for receiving were to protect themselves (44.2%), majority of those vaccinated (76.5%) received Pfizer, which was the most preferred type (67.4%), 10.3% of them were not completing the recommended dose and the most common reasons behind this were neglect and shortage of time (31%), and afraid from side effects (31%). A significant association found between vaccination practice with gender, education, occupation, family income and socioeconomic status. Vaccinated persons were less likely to be infected with COVID19 (20.7%) than nonvaccinated ones (62.7%). Conclusion: Less than half of the participants were accepted the vaccine and the acceptance rate significantly associated with male gender, education, occupation, family income, and socioeconomic status.

Risk Factors of Early Age Colorectal Cancer among Patients Attending at National Institute of Cancer Research & Hospital

Background: Colorectal cancer (CRC) poses a significant public health burden worldwide, with a notable trend of increasing incidence among individuals aged 20 to 50 years. Understanding the risk factors associated with early-onset CRC is crucial for developing targeted prevention and intervention strategies, particularly in limited-resource settings. Objective: This study aimed to identify and analyze the risk factors contributing to the development of early-onset CRC in a population from a limited-resource country. Method: A comparative study was conducted among 178 CRC patients admitted to the National Institute of Cancer Research & Hospital (NICRH), Dhaka. Patients were divided into two groups: Group-A (age 20-50 years) and Group-B (age >50 years). Demographic and clinical data were collected, and statistical analyses were performed to determine associations between various risk factors and early-onset CRC. Results: The mean age of Group-A subjects was 43.6±7.1 years, significantly younger than Group-B subjects (59.2±9.3 years). Male patients constituted 69.1% of the cohort, with a statistically significant male-to-female ratio of 2.2:1. Higher BMI (≥25) was strongly associated with early-onset CRC (p<0.01). Occupations such as business and middle socioeconomic status were significantly linked to early-onset CRC. Regular exercise (>30 minutes daily) demonstrated a protective effect against CRC development. Consumption of red meat and fast food was associated with a higher risk of CRC, while regular consumption of vegetables was protective. Familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP) presence was significantly associated with early-onset CRC. Conclusions: Male sex, high BMI, specific occupations, dietary factors, and presence of FAP emerged as key risk factors for early-onset CRC. Encouraging regular exercise and promoting healthy dietary habits, particularly reducing red meat and fast-food intake, are crucial in mitigating the risk of early-onset CRC in similar populations.

Sex / gender bias on the Face‐Name Associative Memory Exam in clinically‐normal older adults

AbstractBackgroundMany studies of memory in older adults report a sex difference, usually with female participants scoring slightly better than males. These sex differences may be partially due to the content of the tests, with some content being more memorable to males or females (https://doi.org/10.1093/ARCLIN/ACAC102). We investigated whether male and female older adults show differences on the Face‐Name Associative Memory Exam (FNAME‐12, designed to detect subtle Alzheimer’s disease‐related memory impairment). Specifically, do they show a bias towards remembering the stimuli that match their own sex?MethodParticipants (n = 432, see Table 1) in ‘Insight 46’, a sub‐study of the MRC National Survey of Health and Development (British 1946 birth cohort), completed FNAME‐12 (version A) at age ∼73 years. Stimuli comprise six male and six female faces (presented in alternating order), with names and occupations. Recall is tested four times after various delay intervals. Four total scores were calculated across all recall trials: female names; female occupations; male names; male occupations. We fitted multivariable regression models using Generalised Estimating Equations to investigate effects of item type (name/occupation), item gender (male/female) and participant sex (male/female), and interactions between these variables, controlling for age, education, socioeconomic position and prospectively‐collected childhood cognitive ability.ResultWomen outperformed men (coefficient averaged across the four conditions = 2.2 points [95% CIs 1.3, 3.1], p<0.001) (Fig1; Fig2). This difference was exaggerated for female stimuli (interaction coefficient = 2.0 [1.4, 2.6], p<0.001), and female stimuli occupations (3‐way interaction coefficient = 0.8 [‐0.0, 1.6] p = 0.050) i.e. women scored better than men even on male names, whereas men were particularly disadvantaged at recalling information associated with female stimuli, especially their occupations (Fig2).ConclusionWe found evidence of a gender bias on FNAME‐12 among male participants, where their recall was worse for female stimuli compared to male stimuli, which may partially explain their poorer performance on this test. Such biases should be considered when interpreting sex differences on memory tests. Further analyses before the conference will investigate longitudinal FNAME‐12 performance over ∼2.4 years, to explore whether this memory bias remains constant, or whether it may be a marker of memory decline (potentially reflecting increased reliance on the relatability of test content).

Managers' experience of causes and prevention of sick leave among young employees with Common Mental Disorders (CMDs)-A qualitative interview study with a gender perspective.

Young adults entering the workforce have an almost 40% greater risk of work-related mental health problems than other working age groups. Common mental disorders (CMDs) constitute the majority of such mental health problems. Managers are crucial in promoting a good psychosocial work environment and preventing sick leave. The study aims to explore managers' experience of 1) causes of sick leave in the personal and work-life of young employees with CMDs, and 2) prevention of such sick leave. A gender perspective is applied to examine managers' experience of causes and prevention of sick leave in relation to male and female employees and male and female-dominated occupations. A qualitative design was applied and 23 semi-structured interviews were conducted with Swedish managers experienced in supervising young employees with CMDs. The interviews were analysed with conventional content analysis and the managers' experience of similarities and differences between young female and male employees and occupations were explored through reflective notes. Four main categories and eight subcategories describe the managers' experience of the causes of sick leave due to CMD among young employees. The main categories are: 1) entering work life when already worn-out, 2) struggling with too high expectations at work, 3) having a challenging personal life, and 4) being unable to manage specific occupational challenges and demands. Gender differences were found in six subcategories regarding, e.g., work demands and problems in personal relationships. One main category and three subcategories describe how this type of sick leave might be prevented, with managers emphasizing the need to ease the transition into work life. Gender differences in the prevention of sick leave were found in one subcategory regarding communication about workers' health and problems at work. Our findings show that gender norms and the expectations of young men and women are factors of importance in managers' experience of the development and prevention of CMDs. These results can inform their preventive work and their supervision and introduction of newly-employed young adults.

Identifying Pre-hypertensives in the Community: At Risk Approach for Prevention of Hypertension

Introduction: Pre-hypertension is a borderline health state of increased blood pressure (BP) that falls short of the measurable parameters at which surveillance and/or therapy would be required. The approach of identifying people “At Risk” of developing hypertension can be more cost-effective and feasible for applying lifestyle interventions. Objectives: The objective of the present study is to find the prevalence of pre-hypertensives and associated bio-socio-demographic factors Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 1946 participants aged 19 years and more in the Doiwala block of Dehradun, Uttarakhand. Multistage sampling was used to arrive at desired sample size. A pre-validated, structured questionnaire was used for data collection. The questionnaire included information on the socio-demographic profile (age, sex, education etc.), awareness about hypertension and its associated risk factors. Statistical Analysis: The chi-square test was used to compare proportions and draw inferences. Results: 958 (49.2%) study participants out of a total 1946 were found to be pre-hypertensives. A statistically significant association was found between pre-hypertension and factors such as male gender, age, education, occupation and waist-hip ratio. (p<0.05) Conclusion: It is recommended that identification on the pre-hypertensive group and subjecting them to lifestyle modification could be a fruitful strategy for preventing them from becoming hypertensive.

Impact of work and coping factors on mental health: Australian truck drivers’ perspective

IntroductionTruck driving is one of the most common male occupations worldwide. Drivers endure long working hours, isolation, separation from family, compromised sleep, and face rigid regulatory requirements. Studies have documented the work factors contributing to poor health outcomes, however these have not been explored in the Australian context. The aim of this grounded theory study was to explore the impact of work and coping factors on mental health of Australian truck drivers from their perspective.MethodsRecruitment used a purposive snowball sampling, through social media campaigns and direct email invites. Interview data were collected via phone/teleconference, audio recorded and typed verbatim. Inductive coding and thematic analysis were completed with triangulation of themes.ResultsSeventeen interviews were completed (94% male). Six themes arose, two supporting (Connections; Coping methods), and four disrupting mental health (Compromised supports; Unrealistic demands; Financial pressures; Lack of respect). Drivers had concerns regarding the many things beyond their control and the interactions of themes impacting their health even further.ConclusionThis study explored the impact of work and coping factors affecting truck driver mental health in Australia. Themes described the importance of connections and coping methods drivers had to support their health. Many factors that compromised their health were often outside their control. These results highlight the need for a multi-faceted collaboration between stakeholders; the driver, employing companies, policy makers/regulators and the public to address the negative impact of truck driving on mental health.

Serological Markers of Exposure to Plasmodium falciparum and Plasmodium vivax Infection in Southwestern Ethiopia.

As malaria control and elimination efforts ramp up in Ethiopia, more sensitive tools for assessing exposure to coendemic Plasmodium falciparum and Plasmodium vivax are needed to accurately characterize malaria risk and epidemiology. Serological markers have been increasingly explored as cost-effective tools for measuring transmission intensity and evaluating intervention effectiveness. The objectives of this study were to evaluate the efficacy of a panel of 10 serological markers as a proxy for malaria exposure and to determine underlying risk factors of seropositivity. We conducted cross-sectional surveys in two sites of contrasting malaria transmission intensities in southwestern Ethiopia: Arjo in Oromia Region (low transmission) and Gambella in Gambella Regional State (moderate transmission). We measured antibody reactivity against six P. falciparum (AMA-1, CSP, EBA175RIII-V, MSP-142, MSP-3, RH2ab) and four P. vivax (DBPII[Sal1], EBP2, MSP-119, RBP2b) targets. We used mixed effects logistic regressions to assess predictors of seropositivity. Plasmodium spp. infection prevalence by quantitative polymerase chain reaction was 1.36% in Arjo and 10.20% in Gambella. Seroprevalence and antibody levels against all 10 antigens were higher in Gambella than in Arjo. We observed spatial heterogeneities in seroprevalence across Arjo and smaller variations across Gambella. Seroprevalence in both sites was lowest against PfCSP and highest against PfAMA-1, PfMSP-142, and PvMSPS-119. Male sex, age, and agricultural occupation were positively associated with seropositivity in Arjo; associations were less pronounced in Gambella. Our findings demonstrate that seroprevalence and antibody levels to specific Plasmodium antigens can be used to identify high-risk groups and geographical areas where interventions to reduce malaria transmission should be implemented.

Male Pre-School Principals’ Experiences on Glass Escalator

The glass escalator is a metaphor used to describe how men in feminized workplaces move up career ladders, and this study aims to determine the experiences of male pre-school principals and the possible effects of cultural values on the results of the glass escalator through the ranks because of gender norms and job expectations. In this context, meetings are held with four school principals, working in Kocaeli and in pre-school education institutions. As an interpretive approach, phenomenology is used in the study. The criterion sampling method and the snowball sampling method, which are among the purposeful sampling methods, are used together in forming the working group. Research findings are discussed in terms of individual and cultural factors. The former is mainly related to the preferences of male principals, who tend to see working in pre-school institutions as an opportunity for promotion. This perspective is discussed from the standpoint of ‘visibility’, which emerges as an advantageous feature for men but not for women. Cultural factors, on the other hand, are related to culturally-influenced beliefs regarding male and female roles. Because management is seen as a male occupation, female teachers also prefer and support male principals.

Social norms and gendered occupational choices of men and women: Time to turn the tide?

AbstractWe analyze the relationship between social gender norms and adolescents' occupational choices by combining regional votes on constitutional amendments on gender equality with job application data from a large job board for apprenticeships. The results show that adolescent males in regions with stronger traditional social gender norms are more likely to apply for typically male occupations. This finding does not hold for females, suggesting that incentivizing men to break the norms and choose gender‐atypical occupations (e.g., in healthcare) can be even more effective in accelerating advancement toward gender equality in the labor market than incentivizing women to choose STEM occupations.

Gender peer effects on students’ educational and occupational expectations

To date, little is known about how gender peers affect students’ educational and occupational expectations. This study investigates the gender peer effects on students’ educational and occupational expectations, using the 2014 China Education Panel Survey. To address students’ self-selection into classes, we choose a sample of schools that randomly assign students to classes. We find that exposure to more female peers increases students’ probability of expecting to attend university and reduces their probability of expecting to complete only middle school. Besides, exposure to more female peers increases boys’ and girls’ probabilities of expecting to pursue a career as a manager, and reduces their probabilities of expecting to become a teacher, doctor, or lawyer. Moreover, exposure to more female peers has significant positive effects on both girls’ and boys’ probability of expecting to pursue prevalently male occupations. In addition, we discuss the mechanisms and check the robustness of the results. This study helps to understand the gender peer effects in education and the variations in individuals’ educational and occupational choices.

The Frequency & Determinants of the Use of Nutritional Supplements and Hormones among Selected Gym Users in Karachi, Pakistan

Purpose: The use of hormones/ anabolic androgenic steroids (AAS) and nutritional supplements (NS) has gained popularity worldwide for improving physical appearance and sports performance. There have been limited studies that examine the frequency and determinants of their use among gym users in Pakistan. Our objective was to estimate the frequency of NS and AAS consumption among gym users of Karachi and to determine the determinants of NS and AAS consumption. 
 Methodology: An analytical cross-sectional study was conducted on 435 gym users from five districts of Karachi using non-probability quota sampling and gyms were selected on a convenience basis. Data were collected on a pre-tested validated tool and the association of outcome with variables was assessed by applying multivariate logistic regression using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 20.0. 
 Findings: The frequencies of AAS and NS were 9.2% (n=40) and 42.5% (n=185) respectively. Reasons for use included increasing muscle size and strength, impressing the opposite gender, getting popularity on TikTok videos, and getting a boyfriend/girlfriend. Male gender (p=0.000) and gym users who were businessmen were more inclined to using hormones (p=0.033). Gym users of district Central were less likely to consume AAS (p =0.004).
 Contribution to literature and practical implications: The study concludes that male gender and occupation are positively associated with NS consumption and the dwelling of gym attendees is also significantly associated with AAS intake. These findings can help policymakers to make decisions for improvement in addressing public health issues.

‘Truly a three‐dimensional job’: The feminisation of clerical work in Cape Town, 1900–1960

AbstractThis article investigates whether in Cape Town and South Africa, clerical work went from being a male occupation to one dominated by women a few decades later, as it did in other places in the early twentieth century. It explores women's involvement in clerical and office employment from 1900 to 1960. In the USA and Canada, clerical work remained a ‘white' occupation until the 1960s and was linked to notions of middle‐class respectability. This work expects this trend to be more pronounced in South Africa and finds that while clerical work feminised amongst white workers, it defeminised for other races.

Hannah Claire Haines, 1891–1974: Not the Average “Militant Female”

Hannah Claire Haines, 1891–1974: Not the Average “Militant Female”

Missing from parish records: Anglican and nonconformist occupational differences and the economy of Wales c.1817

AbstractRecent studies of male occupations have used Anglican baptisms as a source. However, in areas where nonconformity was strong, a significant proportion of baptisms were missing from parish registers: in Wales, around a quarter of births were to Nonconformist fathers in the years 1813–1820. This study analyses whether there were significant differences between the occupations of Anglican and nonconformist fathers based on a 14 per cent sample of Welsh baptisms. Revised estimates suggest that Anglican data underestimate employment in mining and industry. These estimates are used to give an overview of the Welsh economy c.1817.

OCCUPATIONAL GENDER STEREOTYPES IN INDONESIAN SECONDARY SCHOOL ENGLISH LANGUAGE TEXTBOOKS

This discourse study examines occupational gender stereotypes in two textbooks of secondary English language textbooks published in Indonesia. Occupational gender stereotypes in two English textbooks, entitled When English Rings a Bell, for grades 7 and 8 were analyzed with the help of Kress and van Leeuwen (2006) framework. The findings indicate that both textbooks encompass gender stereotypes, particularly occupation. The findings also revealed far fewer photos of women in the public domain than there were of men, indicating that women in conventional gender roles such as cooking, cleaning, watering plants, caring for children, and performing all domestic activities were far more common. Furthermore, the study found that male occupations were more common and diverse than female occupations regarding occupational gender stereotypes. Furthermore, in terms of societal responsibilities, males were demonstrated to have a wider choice of vocations than girls. Gender blindness among curriculum designers and textbook authors is a severe worry in this regard, and it must be addressed to improve awareness of gender-related occupations. The study's practical implications are that English teachers, language textbook authors, curriculum creators, and illustrators should be fully aware of the interplay between language, visual depictions, and gender concerns while constructing language textbooks to avoid unwanted insights into occupational gender stereotypes.

Wage Polarization in the Context of the Czech Republic

Abstract Existing studies have provided evidence of job polarization in many developed countries. The issue of wage polarization is less obvious: many articles do not address it at all, and some even confuse it with job polarization. At the same time, the significance of the phenomenon of polarization results precisely from the consequence of wage polarization: the increase in wage inequality. The aim of this article is to find out whether wage polarization occurred in the Czech Republic during the period 2004–2018. Wage development in the private sphere does not imply wage polarization, but in the public sphere, results imply a very slight wage polarization mainly due to the development between 2004 and 2010. This phenomenon has occurred in both male and female occupations. Panel regression analysis shows that globalization reduces upper-tail inequality (the ratio Q90/Q50) while increasing lower-tail inequality (the ratio Q50/Q10). At the level of the whole economy, technology seems to contribute to reducing both upper-tail and lower-tail inequality. These results probably correspond to the nature of the Czech economy, which is based on middle-skilled workers with a pro-export focus.