IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jijerp/v20y2022i1p19-d1008958.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

How Can Quantitative Analysis Be Used to Improve Occupational Health without Reinforcing Social Inequalities? An Examination of Statistical Methods

Author

Listed:
  • Valérie Lederer

    (Department of Industrial Relations, Université du Québec en Outaouais, Gatineau, QC J8X 3X7, Canada)

  • Karen Messing

    (Department of Biological Sciences, Université du Québec à Montréal, Montreal, QC H3C 3P8, Canada)

  • Hélène Sultan-Taïeb

    (Department of Organization and Human Resources, School of Management (ESG-UQAM), Université du Québec à Montréal, Montreal, QC H3C 3P8, Canada)

Abstract

Taking account of sex and gender in occupational health studies poses statistical challenges. Other sociodemographic variables, such as racialization, class, and age, also affect the relations between workplace exposures and health and interact with sex and gender. Our objective was to perform a critical review of conventional and emerging statistical tools, examining whether each analysis takes account of sociodemographic variables (1) in a way that contributes to identification of critical occupational determinants of health (2) while taking account of relevant population characteristics to reflect intersectional approaches to health and (3) using sample sizes and population characteristics available to researchers. A two-step search was conducted: (1) a scientific watch concerning the statistical tools most commonly used in occupational health over the past 20 years; (2) a screening of the 1980–2022 literature with a focus on emerging tools. Our examination shows that regressions with adjustment for confounders and stratification fail to reveal the sociodemographic mechanisms that interact with occupational health problems, endangering the identification of occupational risks. Multilevel (notably MAIHDA) analyses, decision tree, cluster, and latent analyses are useful methods to consider when seeking to orientate prevention. Researchers should consider methods that adequately reveal the mechanisms connecting sociodemographic variables and occupational health outcomes.

Suggested Citation

  • Valérie Lederer & Karen Messing & Hélène Sultan-Taïeb, 2022. "How Can Quantitative Analysis Be Used to Improve Occupational Health without Reinforcing Social Inequalities? An Examination of Statistical Methods," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(1), pages 1-19, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:20:y:2022:i:1:p:19-:d:1008958
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/20/1/19/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/20/1/19/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Diana Poli & Paola Mozzoni & Silvana Pinelli & Delia Cavallo & Bruno Papaleo & Lidia Caporossi, 2022. "Sex Difference and Benzene Exposure: Does It Matter?," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(4), pages 1-17, February.
    2. Schwartz, S. & Carpenter, K.M., 1999. "The right answer for the wrong question: Consequences of type III error for public health research," American Journal of Public Health, American Public Health Association, vol. 89(8), pages 1175-1180.
    3. Bauer, Greta R. & Scheim, Ayden I., 2019. "Methods for analytic intercategorical intersectionality in quantitative research: Discrimination as a mediator of health inequalities," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 226(C), pages 236-245.
    4. Evans, Clare R., 2019. "Adding interactions to models of intersectional health inequalities: Comparing multilevel and conventional methods," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 221(C), pages 95-105.
    5. Stacey A. Ritz & Lorraine Greaves, 2022. "Transcending the Male–Female Binary in Biomedical Research: Constellations, Heterogeneity, and Mechanism When Considering Sex and Gender," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(7), pages 1-11, March.
    6. Hélène Sultan-Taïeb & Jean-François Chastang & Malika Mansouri & Isabelle Niedhammer, 2013. "The annual costs of cardiovascular diseases and mental disorders attributable to job strain in France," Post-Print halshs-01230266, HAL.
    7. repec:aph:ajpbhl:10.2105/ajph.2016.303578_7 is not listed on IDEAS
    8. Bauer, Greta R., 2014. "Incorporating intersectionality theory into population health research methodology: Challenges and the potential to advance health equity," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 110(C), pages 10-17.
    9. Messing, K. & Tissot, F. & Stock, S., 2008. "Distal lower-extremity pain and work postures in the Quebec population," American Journal of Public Health, American Public Health Association, vol. 98(4), pages 705-713.
    10. Meerwijk, E.L. & Sevelius, J.M., 2017. "Transgender population size in the United States: A meta-regression of population-based probability samples," American Journal of Public Health, American Public Health Association, vol. 107(2), pages 1-8.
    11. Brad Wipfli & Sara Wild & Courtney Donovan & Ginger C. Hanson & Saurabh S. Thosar, 2021. "Sedentary Work and Physiological Markers of Health," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(6), pages 1-12, March.
    12. Evans, Clare R. & Williams, David R. & Onnela, Jukka-Pekka & Subramanian, S.V., 2018. "A multilevel approach to modeling health inequalities at the intersection of multiple social identities," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 203(C), pages 64-73.
    13. Bowleg, L., 2012. "The problem with the phrase women and minorities: Intersectionality-an important theoretical framework for public health," American Journal of Public Health, American Public Health Association, vol. 102(7), pages 1267-1273.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Alvarez, Camila H. & Evans, Clare Rosenfeld, 2021. "Intersectional environmental justice and population health inequalities: A novel approach," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 269(C).
    2. Beccia, Ariel L. & Agénor, Madina & Baek, Jonggyu & Ding, Eric Y. & Lapane, Kate L. & Austin, S. Bryn, 2024. "Methods for structural sexism and population health research: Introducing a novel analytic framework to capture life-course and intersectional effects," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 351(S1).
    3. Daniel Holman & Alan Walker, 2021. "Understanding unequal ageing: towards a synthesis of intersectionality and life course analyses," European Journal of Ageing, Springer, vol. 18(2), pages 239-255, June.
    4. Philipp Jaehn & Emily Mena & Sibille Merz & Robert Hoffmann & Antje Gößwald & Alexander Rommel & Christine Holmberg & on behalf of the ADVANCE GENDER study group, 2020. "Non-response in a national health survey in Germany: An intersectionality-informed multilevel analysis of individual heterogeneity and discriminatory accuracy," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 15(8), pages 1-17, August.
    5. Zubizarreta, Dougie & Beccia, Ariel L. & Trinh, Mai-Han & Reynolds, Colleen A. & Reisner, Sari L. & Charlton, Brittany M., 2022. "Human papillomavirus vaccination disparities among U.S. college students: An intersectional Multilevel Analysis of Individual Heterogeneity and Discriminatory Accuracy (MAIHDA)," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 301(C).
    6. Kline, Nolan, 2022. "Syndemic statuses: Intersectionality and mobilizing for LGBTQ+ Latinx health equity after the Pulse shooting," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 295(C).
    7. Fagrell Trygg, Nadja & Månsdotter, Anna & Gustafsson, Per E., 2021. "Intersectional inequalities in mental health across multiple dimensions of inequality in the Swedish adult population," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 283(C).
    8. Harari, Lexi & Lee, Chioun, 2021. "Intersectionality in quantitative health disparities research: A systematic review of challenges and limitations in empirical studies," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 277(C).
    9. Evans, Clare R. & Erickson, Natasha, 2019. "Intersectionality and depression in adolescence and early adulthood: A MAIHDA analysis of the national longitudinal study of adolescent to adult health, 1995–2008," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 220(C), pages 1-11.
    10. Evans, Clare R., 2019. "Adding interactions to models of intersectional health inequalities: Comparing multilevel and conventional methods," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 221(C), pages 95-105.
    11. Beccia, Ariel L. & Baek, Jonggyu & Austin, S. Bryn & Jesdale, William M. & Lapane, Kate L., 2021. "Eating-related pathology at the intersection of gender identity and expression, sexual orientation, and weight status: An intersectional Multilevel Analysis of Individual Heterogeneity and Discriminat," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 281(C).
    12. Daniel Demant & Oscar Oviedo-Trespalacios & Julie-Anne Carroll & Jason A. Ferris & Larissa Maier & Monica J. Barratt & Adam R. Winstock, 2018. "Do people with intersecting identities report more high-risk alcohol use and lifetime substance use?," International Journal of Public Health, Springer;Swiss School of Public Health (SSPH+), vol. 63(5), pages 621-630, June.
    13. Silvia Loi & Peng Li & Mikko Myrskylä, 2022. "At the intersection of adverse life course pathways: the effects on health by nativity," MPIDR Working Papers WP-2022-018, Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research, Rostock, Germany.
    14. Layland, Eric K. & Maggs, Jennifer L. & Kipke, Michele D. & Bray, Bethany C., 2022. "Intersecting racism and homonegativism among sexual minority men of color: Latent class analysis of multidimensional stigma with subgroup differences in health and sociostructural burdens," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 293(C).
    15. Sangaramoorthy, Thurka & Benton, Adia, 2022. "Intersectionality and syndemics: A commentary," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 295(C).
    16. Tyler D. Harvey & Ijeoma Opara & Emily A. Wang, 2022. "Role of the Intersections of Gender, Race and Sexual Orientation in the Association between Substance Use Behaviors and Sexually Transmitted Infections in a National Sample of Adults with Recent Crimi," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(7), pages 1-14, March.
    17. Cassandra Carels & Maria Florence & Sabirah Adams & Deborah Louise Sinclair & Shazly Savahl, 2022. "Youths’ Perceptions Of The Relation Between Alcohol Consumption And Risky Sexual Behaviour in the Western Cape, South Africa: A Qualitative Study," Child Indicators Research, Springer;The International Society of Child Indicators (ISCI), vol. 15(4), pages 1269-1293, August.
    18. Evans, Clare R. & Williams, David R. & Onnela, Jukka-Pekka & Subramanian, S.V., 2018. "A multilevel approach to modeling health inequalities at the intersection of multiple social identities," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 203(C), pages 64-73.
    19. Lisa Dandolo & Christina Hartig & Klaus Telkmann & Sophie Horstmann & Lars Schwettmann & Peter Selsam & Alexandra Schneider & Gabriele Bolte & on behalf of the INGER Study Group, 2022. "Decision Tree Analyses to Explore the Relevance of Multiple Sex/Gender Dimensions for the Exposure to Green Spaces: Results from the KORA INGER Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(12), pages 1-25, June.
    20. Tuyet-Mai H. Hoang & Ainslee Wong, 2022. "Exploring the Application of Intersectionality as a Path toward Equity in Perinatal Health: A Scoping Review," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(1), pages 1-25, December.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:20:y:2022:i:1:p:19-:d:1008958. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.