title: Methods for the study of employment relations and health inequalities in a global context.
abstract: The authors describe the major methods and sources of information used in the EMCONET study for researching global, employment-related health inequalities. A systematic review of the literature provides valuable knowledge for research in this area. However, the limited number of studies, the poor quality of methods used, and a lack of theories or concepts have produced inconsistent results. To minimize bias from these limitations and to reach a comprehensive understanding of the complexity and health effects of global employment conditions, this article outlines key strategies for a synthetic, comprehensive, participatory approach: adapting transdisciplinary knowledge acquisition, building a theoretical model, employing multiple sources for data collection, and using a variety of methods (qualitative/ quantitative studies and narrative knowledge). This approach provides solutions to important research and policy needs regarding the global context of key employment relations, social mechanisms, and health inequalities. The strategies are adapted to synthesize input from several disciplines (epidemiology, sociology, and political science), social actors, and institutions. The study's main sources of information are a variety of digital, bibliographic databases; the authors reviewed the scientific literature from 1985 to 2008 and books, reports, and other documents from 2000 to 2008.
authors.affiliation: Health Inequalities Research Group, Employment Conditions Network, Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona, Spain. joan.benach@upf.edu
authors.forename: Joan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Benach
authors.forename: Antía
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Castedo
authors.forename: Orielle
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Solar
authors.forename: José Miguel
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Martínez
authors.forename: Montserrat
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Vergara
authors.forename: Marcelo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Amable
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Buxó
authors.forename: Yucel
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Demiral
authors.forename: Carles
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Muntaner
mesh_terms: D055812:Community-Based Participatory Research / Q000458:organization & administration; D004651:Employment / Q000458:organization & administration*; D014943:Global Health; D054624:Health Status Disparities; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D016272:Occupational Health; D014944:World Health Organization