Abstract
BACKGROUND: Informal employment (IE) is one of the least studied employment conditions in public health research, mainly due to the difficulty of its conceptualization and its measurement, producing a lack of a unique concept and a common method of measurement. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this review is to identify literature on IE in order to improve its definition and methods of measurement, with special attention given to high-income countries, to be able to study the possible impact on health inequalities within and between countries. METHODS: A scoping review of definitions and methods of measurement of IE was conducted reviewing relevant databases and grey literature and analyzing selected articles. RESULTS: We found a wide spectrum of terms for describing IE as well as definitions and methods of measurement. We provide a definition of IE to be used in health inequalities research in high-income countries. Direct methods such as surveys can capture more information about workers and firms in order to estimate IE. CONCLUSIONS: These results can be used in further investigations about the impacts of this IE on health inequalities. Public health research must improve monitoring and analysis of IE in order to know the impacts of this employment condition on health inequalities.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 347-356 |
| Number of pages | 10 |
| Journal | Work |
| Volume | 53 |
| Issue number | 2 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - 2016 Feb 18 |
| Externally published | Yes |
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Keywords
- employment conditions
- health equity
- high-income populations
- Informal sector
- public health
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health
- Rehabilitation
Cite this
Informal employment in high-income countries for a health inequalities research : A scoping review. / Julià, Mireia; Tarafa, Gemma; O'Campo, Patricia; Muntaner, Carles; Jódar, Pere; Benach, Joan.
In: Work, Vol. 53, No. 2, 18.02.2016, p. 347-356.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - Informal employment in high-income countries for a health inequalities research
T2 - A scoping review
AU - Julià, Mireia
AU - Tarafa, Gemma
AU - O'Campo, Patricia
AU - Muntaner, Carles
AU - Jódar, Pere
AU - Benach, Joan
PY - 2016/2/18
Y1 - 2016/2/18
N2 - BACKGROUND: Informal employment (IE) is one of the least studied employment conditions in public health research, mainly due to the difficulty of its conceptualization and its measurement, producing a lack of a unique concept and a common method of measurement. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this review is to identify literature on IE in order to improve its definition and methods of measurement, with special attention given to high-income countries, to be able to study the possible impact on health inequalities within and between countries. METHODS: A scoping review of definitions and methods of measurement of IE was conducted reviewing relevant databases and grey literature and analyzing selected articles. RESULTS: We found a wide spectrum of terms for describing IE as well as definitions and methods of measurement. We provide a definition of IE to be used in health inequalities research in high-income countries. Direct methods such as surveys can capture more information about workers and firms in order to estimate IE. CONCLUSIONS: These results can be used in further investigations about the impacts of this IE on health inequalities. Public health research must improve monitoring and analysis of IE in order to know the impacts of this employment condition on health inequalities.
AB - BACKGROUND: Informal employment (IE) is one of the least studied employment conditions in public health research, mainly due to the difficulty of its conceptualization and its measurement, producing a lack of a unique concept and a common method of measurement. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this review is to identify literature on IE in order to improve its definition and methods of measurement, with special attention given to high-income countries, to be able to study the possible impact on health inequalities within and between countries. METHODS: A scoping review of definitions and methods of measurement of IE was conducted reviewing relevant databases and grey literature and analyzing selected articles. RESULTS: We found a wide spectrum of terms for describing IE as well as definitions and methods of measurement. We provide a definition of IE to be used in health inequalities research in high-income countries. Direct methods such as surveys can capture more information about workers and firms in order to estimate IE. CONCLUSIONS: These results can be used in further investigations about the impacts of this IE on health inequalities. Public health research must improve monitoring and analysis of IE in order to know the impacts of this employment condition on health inequalities.
KW - employment conditions
KW - health equity
KW - high-income populations
KW - Informal sector
KW - public health
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84959326590&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=84959326590&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.3233/WOR-152176
DO - 10.3233/WOR-152176
M3 - Article
C2 - 26519014
AN - SCOPUS:84959326590
VL - 53
SP - 347
EP - 356
JO - Work
JF - Work
SN - 1051-9815
IS - 2
ER -