Closing the Gap: Occupational Health and Safety for Women in the Workforce

Women now represent nearly half of the global workforce, spanning sectors as varied as healthcare, manufacturing, agriculture, and the service industry. Despite this, occupational health research, risk assessment frameworks, and regulatory standards have largely been developed using data and models centered on male physiology and traditionally male-dominated occupations. As a result, the specific ways in which women experience, respond to, and are protected from occupational hazards remain incompletely understood.This gap has real consequences. Sex- and gender-based differences can influence how the body metabolizes and responds to chemical and physical exposures, how stress and psychosocial hazards manifest and are addressed in the workplace, and how existing health surveillance and prevention programs are designed and applied. Women in caregiving, healthcare, and other high-contact professions also face distinct patterns of exposure to workplace violence, harassment, and burnout, further complicating current approaches to occupational risk management.This Research Topic aims to bring together researchers, clinicians, and public health practitioners working to close this gap. We welcome contributions that combine mechanistic insight, clinical evidence, and public health strategy to better characterize occupational risks to women and to translate that understanding into practical, evidence-based prevention and policy measures.We welcome submissions covering:o Occupational exposures (chemical, physical, biological, and psychosocial) and their health effects on womeno Sex- and gender-based differences in susceptibility, risk assessment, and disease outcomeso Biomarkers for early detection and monitoring of work-related health conditionso Mental health, stress, and burnout in the workplaceo Workplace safety, violence, and harassment as occupational health concernso Policies, interventions, and best practices to improve occupational health protections for women across sectorsOur goal is to consolidate current evidence and identify actionable strategies that help occupational health practitioners, policymakers, and employers better protect and support women across all sectors of the workforce. Topic editors: Silvia Vivarelli, Concettina Fenga, Maria Malliarou Source: https://www.frontiersin.org/research-topics/86141/closing-the-gap-occupational-health-and-safety-for-women-in-the-workforce