An Analytical Study of Social Problems as Perceived by Working Women

Hina Kausar¹*, Hiwarkar Y. A.¹ and Mohammed Ubaid Ur Rahaman²

¹Assistant Professor, Community Medicine, Dr. Ulhas Patil Medical College, Jalgaon Kh.(MS)

²Divisional Medical Officer, Central Railway hospital, Bhusawal (MS)

ABSTRACT:

Background: Since long discrimination on account of gender is being practiced.

Objective: To know social problems of working women.

Material and methods: Three hundred working women employed in Chalmeda Anand Rao Institute of Medical Sciences, Karimnagar (Andhra Pradesh) were taken as sample. The data were collected in a pre-designed and pretested Proforma.

Results: out of 300 study subjects 282 had a total of 548social problems. The social problems in descending order of frequency were gender discrimination 103(34.4%), negative impact on husband’s self esteem due to work (34%), Cannot give proper time for children and other family members (30%),work place harassment(28%),lack of support from family for working(21.4%), difficult to carry home responsibilities (20%), and domestic violence(15%).

KEYWORDS: working women, social problems, gender discrimination.

INTRODUCTION:

Women play multiple vital roles in the society especially those who are employed. As far as capabilities of the women are concerned they are not less than men. Problems such as attitude of the society member's prejudice & non-recognition, which the working women encounter with regard to their social status & role in the economic life, adversely affect the utilization of their talents & work capabilities ⁽¹⁾. The scope of women’s health is broader than merely issue of reproductive health or the biological difference between women and men because there is growing recognition that social as well as biological factors strongly influence the health outcomes in women. This is because despite the diversity of human experiences globally in all societies, the way in which men and women are treated differ.⁽²⁾On an average woman live six to eight years longer than men globally, although they do not necessarily live better, healthier lives. Some factors affect women more often than men, regardless of where they live which includes poverty, changing demography (birthrate and ageing of population), gender, violence against women and lack of research about women⁽³⁾. In an effect to understand the gravity of occupation related health problems in the country the national commission on self-employed women and women in informal sector explained a variety of illnesses found amongst women workers in various unrecognized sectors. They found a high variety of illnesses including postural problems, problems due to contact with hazardous material, heavy work, lack of safety measures, lack or rest and deplorable work environment.⁽⁴⁾

Recently World Health Organization (W.H.O.) and other international agencies have called for increased attention to women’s health, especially for research and medical resources directed to address needs of women.⁽²⁾The authors have under taken this study with the objective to analysis the common symptoms perceived by working women.

MATERIAL AND METHODS:

The present retrospective study is an institutional based study. This study was conducted in Chalmeda Anand Rao Institute of Medical Sciences, Karimnagar (A.P.) from june 2010 to may 2011 for a total period of one year. The data was collected in pre drawn and pretested proforma. A list of all working women (Those who were in paid employment) in Chalmeda anand rao institute of medical sciences was obtained from administrative department. There were 318 working women, out of which 18 women did not cooperated/responded in the study, hence they were excluded from the study .Thus total sample size was 300. Statistical data was expressed in simple terms of proportions. Social problems taken into consideration -

- Gender discrimination

- Negative impact on husband self esteem due to work of wife

- Cannot spare sufficient time to family members

- Work place harassment

- Lack of support from family for working

- Difficulties to carry out home responsibilities due to job

- Domestic violence.

OBSERVATIONS AND DISCUSSION:

On analysis of the collected data it was revealed that out of total 300 study subjects, 18 women reported no social problem in their life. The 282 subjects had 548 social problems. On an average, there were 1.94 social problems per subject.

TABLE-I: DISTRIBUTION OF STUDY SUBJECTS AS PER THEIR SOCIAL PROBLEMS

Social problems	Frequency	Percent
Gender discrimination	103	34.4
Negative impact on husband self esteem due to work	102	34
Can’t give proper time to children /family members	90	30
Workplace Harassment	84	28
Lack of support from family for working	64	21.4
Difficulties to carryout home responsibilities due to work	60	20
Domestic violence	45	15

The study subjects had the following social problems in the descending order of frequency. Gender discrimination– 103 (34.4%) subjects (Table-I), negative impact on husband’s self-esteem due to working – 102(34%) subjects, cannot give proper time to children /family members – 90 (30%) subjects, workplace harassment – 84 (28%) subjects, difficult to carry out home responsibilities due to work – 60 (20%) subjects, lack of support from family for working– 64 (21.4%) subjects and domestic violence– 45 (15%) subjects. Most common social problem was gender discrimination faced by103 (34.4%) of women worker in this study. Women mostly face gender discrimination since her childhood. Lack of expected response, low importance in decision making,less recognition of their work by family and society may be due to gender discrimination. Carr L et al⁽⁵⁾found female faculty was 2.5 times more likely than male faculty to perceive gender based discrimination in the academic environment. Total 102(34%) of women felt that there was negative impact on their husband’s self esteem due to working, which is a frequent cause of quarrels among them and women cannot spend their money in their own way suggesting lack of economic independence. Qidwai W et al⁽⁶⁾ from Karachi found 40.5% of working women feel that their financial independence has negative impact on husband’s self-esteem. 90(30%) women perceived that they were unable to give proper time to their children and other family members affecting the studies and health of their children. Qureshi R⁽¹⁾from Faisalabad found 54% of working women considered that they were unable to give proper time to their family members and 78% of women felt that health of their family members suffered greatly due to job, 84 (28%) women worker in this study had experienced harassment at workplace. Valente SM, Bullough V⁽⁷⁾ from United States found nurses who are sexually harassed at work face frustration, emotional and economic consequences. Kotwal N et al⁽⁸⁾ from urban slums of Jammu found 40% of working women had faced harassment by higher authorities at their work place.There was lack of support from husband/family for working in 64(21.4%) of women in this study. Krantz G, Ostergren P⁽⁹⁾ from Sweden observed women with low social support showed significantly increased odds of having common symptoms. Total 45(15%) of women had domestic violence since last year, which was lower than average prevalence (37.2%) in NFHS-III in India.⁽¹⁰⁾ Garcia- Moreno et al⁽¹¹⁾ In a WHO multi country study on domestic violence found 4 - 54% of women reported physical or sexual partner violence or both in the past year. The findings of the present study were more or less similar to the findings of different study conducted by different authors across the globe from time to time.

CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS:

From above observations and discussion, authors reached to the conclusion that gender discrimination was the most common social problem faced by working women, next comes the workplace harassment and domestic violence. All these problems can be prevented just by increasing awareness in the community, because working women requires more care due to her dual responsibility at home and workplace.

REFERENCES:

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Received on 07.03.2013

Modified on 11.04.2013

Accepted on 02.05.2013

© A&V Publication all right reserved

Research J. Pharmacology and Pharmacodynamics. 5(3): May–June 2013, 166-168