[Work conditions, labor fatigue and low birth weight among street vendors].
OBJECTIVE
This study presents the demographic, socioeconomic profile, working conditions and labor fatigue among fertile age street vendors in Mexico City.


METHODS
426 female street vendors were interviewed in Mexico City. This population was described and the association between the components labor fatigue and low birth weight (LBW) was analyzed by logistic regression in a subgroup of women who worked as street vendors during their last pregnancy.


RESULTS
Of the interviewed group, 56% works more than 48 h per week, 87% had no social security, and 68% only had primary school level. The risk of LBW increased when workers had to cover selling quotes (OR 6.5, CI95% 1.3-31) when the merchandise were seasonal tools such as accessories or spare parts (OR 6.3, CI95% 1.5-26), when women had to exhibit their merchandise on the floor or carry it (OR 7.7 CI95% 1.8-32) and when financial support to initiate vending activities came from someone other than a close relative or friend (OR 7.4 CI95%, 1.2-44).


CONCLUSIONS
These results contribute to identify the female vendors with higher risk of having child with LBW and suggest preventive actions.
Hernández-Peña
P
P
Centro de Investigación en Salud Poblacional (CISP), Instituto Nacional de Salud Pública (INSP), México, D.F., México.
Kageyama
M L
ML
Coria
I
I
Hernández
B
B
Harlow
S
S
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001724:Birth Weight; D002648:Child; D005221:Fatigue / Q000209:etiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007230:Infant, Low Birth Weight; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008800:Mexico; D008875:Middle Aged; D009790:Occupations; D010298:Parity; D011247:Pregnancy; D011295:Prenatal Care; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D014931:Women, Working; D014937:Work