O-387 Occupational Illnesses in Women: Looking Back 20 Years Through the Occupational Physicians Reporting Activity Scheme

Introduction Women constitute a significant portion of the global workforce and remain underrepresented in occupational health research and frameworks for occupational health and safety management. Methods This study describes women’s work-related ill-health (WRIH) reported to the Occupational Physicians Reporting Activity (OPRA) scheme between 2003 and 2022. OPRA is a national reporting scheme run from the University of Manchester as part of The Health and Occupation Research (THOR) network, covering Great Britain and Northern Ireland. Estimated cases were weighted and adjusted for temporal changes in reporter numbers. Results 51,464 estimated cases were reported to OPRA with the largest proportion being mental ill-health (64%) followed by musculoskeletal conditions (27%). 57% of musculoskeletal and 54% of mental ill-health cases were women employed in Human Health and Social Work activities, with the most common job roles being nurses and nursing auxiliaries and assistants. The most reported tasks for musculoskeletal WRIH were accidents, including assaults (22%), and heavy lifting (20%). The most reported events for mental ill-health were factors intrinsic to the role (48%) and interpersonal difficulties (34%). Discussion Work-related musculoskeletal conditions have historically been a concern with cases gradually decreasing over the years. However post-COVID-19 figures have started to rise, particularly with consideration to the sudden shift in remote working. Psychological conditions continue to dominate women’s WRIH, particularly attributed to workload and interpersonal difficulties. Conclusion Occupational diseases in women present a complex and underexplored domain. Recognising and addressing the gender-specific aspects of WRIH is crucial for creating safer and more equitable work environments.