Gender, work and illness: the influence of a research unit on an agricultural community in The Gambia.
Changes in employment opportunities and medical services are exploited by men and women in different ways. This paper examines gender-based variation in the selective use of employment and health opportunities in a Gambian village which has been the subject of medical and nutritional research by the Medical Research Council (MRC) for 43 years. The seasonal workloads of 105 men and women in Keneba were compared during one calendar year. Women carried a heavier burden of agricultural labour, while men had a higher rate of waged employment. The impact of the MRC field station on the local economy was assessed and evidence of associated male dependence on MRC employment found. Illness reporting patterns and the treatment choices of men and women were examined. Women made greater use of the MRC medical service, while men resorted more frequently to local remedies and healers. Female dependence on the MRC medical services is suggested by the data, and may be linked to the greater attention paid to them by researchers and medical practitioners.
Beckerleg
S
S
MRC Dunn Nutrition Unit, Keneba, The Gambia.
Austin
S
S
Weaver
L
L
D000328:Adult; D000383:Agriculture; D003466:Cultural Characteristics; D004651:Employment / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D005714:Gambia; D006296:Health Services / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006302:Health Services Research; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012621:Seasons; D012737:Sex Factors; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D016526:Workload