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Gender career divide and women's disadvantage in depressive symptoms and physical limitations in France

Author

Listed:
  • Emmanuelle Cambois

    (INED - Institut national d'études démographiques)

  • Clémentine Garrouste

    (LEDa - Laboratoire d'Economie de Dauphine - IRD - Institut de Recherche pour le Développement - Université Paris Dauphine-PSL - PSL - Université Paris Sciences et Lettres - CNRS - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique)

  • Ariane Pailhé

    (INED - Institut national d'études démographiques)

Abstract

This study investigated the relationship between women's disadvantage in mental health and physical functioning and gender differences in career backgrounds. Sexual division of labor persists and key career characteristics are overrepresented in women: low-skilled first job, downward occupational trajectory, interruptions. These interrelated characteristics are usually linked to poor health. Their overrepresentation in women may be related to the female-male health gap; however, it may not if overrepresentation transposed into substantially weaker associations with poor health outcomes. To address this question, we used the French population survey "Health and Occupational Trajectories" (2006) and focused on 45–74 year-old individuals who ever worked (n=7537). Past career characteristics were qualified by retrospective information. Logistic regressions identified past characteristics related to current depressive symptoms and physical limitations. Non-linear decomposition showed whether these characteristics contributed to the gender health gap, through their different distribution and/or association with health. The overrepresentation of unskilled first jobs, current and past inactivity and unemployment in women contributed to their excess depressive symptoms. These contributions were only slightly reduced by the weaker mental health-relatedness of current inactivity in women and increased by the stronger relatedness of low-skilled and self-employed first jobs. Overrepresentation of current inactivity, past interruptions and downward trajectories also contributed positively to women's excess physical limitations. Gender-specific career backgrounds were significantly linked to women's disadvantage in mental health and physical functioning. We need to further explore whether equalization of opportunities, especially at the early stages and in terms of career continuity, could help to reduce women's mental and physical health disadvantage.

Suggested Citation

  • Emmanuelle Cambois & Clémentine Garrouste & Ariane Pailhé, 2017. "Gender career divide and women's disadvantage in depressive symptoms and physical limitations in France," Post-Print hal-01485768, HAL.
    • Handle: RePEc:hal:journl:hal-01485768
    DOI: 10.1016/j.ssmph.2016.12.008
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Emmanuelle Cambois & Géraldine Duthé & Abdramane Bassiahi Soura & Yacouba Compaoré, 2019. "The Patterns of Disability in the Peripheral Neighborhoods of Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, and the Male–Female Health‐Survival Paradox," Population and Development Review, The Population Council, Inc., vol. 45(4), pages 835-863, December.
    2. Bonsang, Eric & Caroli, Eve & Garrouste, Clémentine, 2021. "Gender heterogeneity in self-reported hypertension," Economics & Human Biology, Elsevier, vol. 43(C).
    3. Apouey, Bénédicte H., 2018. "Preparation for old age in France: The roles of preferences and expectations," The Journal of the Economics of Ageing, Elsevier, vol. 12(C), pages 15-23.
    4. Kristina Willeke & Patrick Janson & Katharina Zink & Carolin Stupp & Sarah Kittel-Schneider & Anne Berghöfer & Thomas Ewert & Ryan King & Peter U. Heuschmann & Andreas Zapf & Manfred Wildner & Thomas , 2021. "Occurrence of Mental Illness and Mental Health Risks among the Self-Employed: A Systematic Review," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(16), pages 1-25, August.
    5. Emmanuelle Cambois & Aïda Solé-Auró & Jean-Marie Robine, 2019. "Gender Differences in Disability and Economic Hardship in Older Europeans," European Journal of Population, Springer;European Association for Population Studies, vol. 35(4), pages 777-793, October.

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