MEHE KODU ON MAAILM, NAISE MAAILM ON KODU? - Tartu Ãlikool
MEHE KODU ON MAAILM, NAISE MAAILM ON KODU? - Tartu Ãlikool
MEHE KODU ON MAAILM, NAISE MAAILM ON KODU? - Tartu Ãlikool
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TERVIS JA TÖÖVÕIME HEALTH AND CAPACITY FOR WORK<br />
times. A total of 14% of all men subject to an occupational accident had had two occupational<br />
accidents and 8% of all men had had as much as three occupational accidents within the last<br />
year. Occupational accidents took place mostly in manufacturing, transportation and construction.<br />
The reason why men have occupational accidents more frequently is that they work in more<br />
accident-prone areas such as construction and transportation. Meanwhile, women tend to work<br />
more in offices and shops, where the risk of accidents is lower. Another important reason is that<br />
women work on average for fewer hours than men and hence stay at work for a shorter period of<br />
time, which also decreases the probability of accidents (Dupre 2002). In addition, women are<br />
more self-preserving by nature and take fewer risks than men, which is why they are less prone<br />
to accidents.<br />
Summary<br />
Due to biological differences men and women have different prerequisites for health. The social<br />
roles established in the society exert certain impact on the behaviour of men and women and<br />
hence on their health. In addition, health is affected to a certain extent by external environmental<br />
factors (climate, living and working environment). Individual health status is the result of the<br />
concurrence of all these factors.<br />
There are more boys than girls born, yet there are fewer men than women in the entire<br />
population. This is due to the fact that men are more likely to die at an earlier age. The main<br />
reason for that is higher mortality of men as a result of accidents. Due to death at an earlier age<br />
the life expectancy of men is also about ten years shorter than that of women. Women have four<br />
more disability free life years in comparison with men.<br />
Despite a longer lifespan, women are more critical towards their health. Women consider their<br />
health to be worse than men. The best assessment of the status of health is provided by people<br />
with higher education. The greatest differences are found in the health assessments of men and<br />
women with primary education. The worst assessment of the status of health is provided by<br />
women with primary education. Both Estonian men and women give better assessments to their<br />
health than non-Estonians. The largest number of people in good health and the smallest number<br />
of people in very bad health are found among people with higher income. Comparison of the<br />
assessments of health by income reveals that, the lower the income, the worse the assessment<br />
of health status. Lower income also increases differences in the assessment of health among<br />
men and women – women belonging to the lowest income quintile give the worst assessment to<br />
their health.<br />
In terms of health behaviour this article examines, on the one hand, whether and how much<br />
people visit doctors and use medicinal products. On the other hand, it considers risk behaviour<br />
such as smoking, alcohol consumption and being overweight which may cause various chronic<br />
diseases. The article reveals that women visit doctors more frequently and use more medicinal<br />
products than men. Yet there are twice as many smokers and three times more frequent alcohol<br />
consumers among men than among women. Social status contributes to smoking – people who<br />
smoke tend to have lower level of education, they live in the country and have lower level of<br />
income. At the same time, the proportion of people consuming alcohol is higher among people<br />
with higher income.<br />
Based on body mass index there are more women than men in the normal weight category, and<br />
more overweight men than women. However, the proportion of obese men and women is almost<br />
equal.<br />
Among other things, health status also affects the capacity for work and, vice versa – work affects<br />
health. The main health problems that restrict capacity for work of both men and women are back<br />
and neck problems. Work-induced diseases or occupational diseases represent the factor<br />
restricting capacity for work in case of about one third of men and women.<br />
Occupational accidents are three times more likely to happen to men than women. This is due to<br />
the fact that the economic activities with the highest rate of occupational accidents, such as<br />
manufacturing, transportation and construction, employ mostly men.<br />
58<br />
<strong>MEHE</strong> <strong>KODU</strong> <strong>ON</strong> <strong>MAAILM</strong>, <strong>NAISE</strong> <strong>MAAILM</strong> <strong>ON</strong> <strong>KODU</strong>? MAN’S HOME IS THE WORLD, WOMAN’S WORLD IS HER HOME?