title: Informal jobs: another occupational hazard for women's mental health?
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The hypothesis that informal jobs, which imply absence of formal labour contracts, instability and the absence of fringe benefits, are positively associated with psychiatric symptoms was evaluated in a poor urban area of Brazil.
  
  
  METHODS
  With data from a cross-sectional study, the association between informal jobs and high number of psychological symptoms was estimated. The study population was composed of 327 women randomly selected from a community in the city of Salvador, Brazil. Women who reported having a job without a formal contract were classified as informal workers. Psychological symptoms were collected through a validated questionnaire, the QMPA.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A positive association between informal work and a high number of psychological symptoms was found (crude prevalence ratio = 1.88, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.24-2.85). More than 4 hours of housework a day and being a family head were confounders, although adjustment for these variables did not significantly change the results (adjusted prevalence ratio = 1.97, 95% CI: 1.26-3.09).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These findings are suggestive that informal work may be a risk for mental symptoms. Reinforcement of universal labour rights coverage and improvement in housework sharing are recommended.
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Saúde Coletiva, Programa Integrado de Saúde do Trabalhador-PISAT, Salvador/Bahia, Brazil.
authors.forename: V S
authors.initials: VS
authors.lastname: Santana
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Loomis
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Newman
authors.forename: S D
authors.initials: SD
authors.lastname: Harlow
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology*; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology*; D009790:Occupations; D012307:Risk Factors; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000453:epidemiology; D014505:Urban Population; D016387:Women's Health; D014931:Women, Working / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*