Gender differences regarding perceived difficulties at work with age

The aim of this study was to analyse gender differences in the subjective assessment of one's own work and to verify if the perceived difficulties of bearing certain job strains with age are related to the same work conditions for men and women. A number of 1195 workers (297 women, 898 men) in different productive sectors, divided into 5 age cohorts, were interviewed using the Estev-Visat methodologies. Among the 19 working conditions studied, we found a great exposure for women to cognitive and psychological strain, while men resulted more exposed to physical work demands. Women reported significantly higher difficulties with age towards all work strains. Regarding the estimated risk between work difficulties and age, a different trend between women and men was found both regarding the work conditions perceived as more strenuous and the age in which the risk arises: in fact women have a significant odd ratio earlier than men. These results may be referred to a different ageing at work for men and women, on the basis of which women perceived greater intolerance to some work strains earlier than men, especially when they are physical ones, while they showed greater tolerance compared to men for jobs requiring a high cognitive demand.