Use Case 2: Healthcare Workers and Gendered Risk

Use Case 2: Healthcare Workers and Gendered Risk

Scenario:
The healthcare workforce is highly feminized in nursing and caregiving roles, while men are more often doctors or laboratory staff. Female nurses frequently have close, repeated contact with patients, increasing their risk of infection during outbreaks (e.g., COVID-19, Ebola).

Gender Considerations:

• Female health workers face disproportionate infection risk.
• Women may lack decision-making power in infection control committees, limiting their influence over protective measures.

Recommended Strategy:

• Ensure PPE (personal protective equipment) distribution data is disaggregated by gender and role.
• Use Occupational exposure information to aggregate data in SORMAS.
• Promote gender equity in health system leadership to address occupational risks.