Avedaño Bravo C, Gray Gariazzo N. Mujeres, trabajo y salud mental: avances teóricos y empíricos. [Women, work, and mental health: theoretical and empirical advances.] Salud y Cambio [Health and Change] ( Santiago , Chile ) 1993; 4(13):24-37.

Objectives: To review the field of women’s occupational mental health, in order to contribute to the development of this field in Chile .

Methodology: Bibliographic review.

Results: The health of working women has attracted growing interest in diverse disciplines. An ever-increasing number of research projects study the risks to which women are exposed in their work and the actions that can be taken to help protect them. Such actions include simple maintenance of the status quo or measures that improve women’s well-being and quality of life.

The authors review the theoretical perspectives from which the study of female workers’ health has been approached. They note the various discussions that have taken place concerning the multiple roles that women assume upon leaving the home to work while retaining the responsibility for domestic work. They then trace the models used for studying the relationship between the physical and mental health of women in the workplace.

The authors also consider the issue of sexual harassment of women who work and the research that has focused on this topic of growing interest. Finally, they review research conducted in Chile on the mental health of female workers and the prospects for further development of this field of study in Chile .

Conclusions: The knowledge gained to date concerning women’s mental health and work in Chile is sparse, but nonetheless provides a valuable step toward further development of the field.

Copyright 2007 University of New Mexico