Methods for the study of employment relations and health inequalities in a global context

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.