BOHS warns that women’s workplace health is still in crisis.

The crisis of work-related illnesses among women continues to worsen and employers are being warned.

The British Occupational Hygiene Society’s (BOHS’s) call comes a year after the chartered Society for Worker Health Protection raised the alarm about a ‘hidden crises’ in the workplace health of women.

BOHS found that despite this call to action the number of women suffering from work-related illness continues to increase.

For the first time, women are now more likely to be off work for a long period of time than men. It said that an estimated 1.5 million women were currently not working due to ill health.

BOHS estimated that 936,000 women were affected by workplace-related illnesses compared to 806,000 men, based on data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) Labour Force Survey.

Women consistently had worse outcomes than men in the majority of exposure categories including mental health and musculoskeletal disorders.

The society also cited research from the Fawcett Society, which showed that a large proportion of women are still uncomfortable bringing up health issues at work.

More than 60% of respondents believe that work has negatively affected their health.

BOHS has also noted that breast cancer is often associated with nightshifts and remains the Health and Safety Executive (HSE’s) highest predicted cancer risks.

In its latest update, it argues that “Recent studies show that women are increasingly working night shifts, with high correlations between breast cancer, menopause premature and miscarriage.”

Kevin Bampton, the chief executive of BOHS, said that “the lack of progress in protecting women’s workplace health is truly inexcusable.” Women are forced to leave the workforce and suffer from poor health due to a lack of research, scientific understanding, data analysis, and policy focus. This is a disaster in the UK, especially with regard to the lack of a national strategy for reproductive health at work.

As a result, the society is calling for policymakers, employers in all industries, and the HSE to prioritize women’s health at work as part of a national equality policy.

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence has also retracted controversial guidelines published last year which recommended cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT), rather than hormone replacement therapy, to relieve menopause symptoms. This decision was at the time heavily criticised.

NICE’s updated guidance emphasises “the importance” of a shared decision making process and an individualised approach when it comes to treatment choices for symptoms.

The guideline also stated: “The guidelines acknowledge that menopause is a very personal experience. The guideline recommends that those who are over 40 and seeking treatment for symptoms like hot flushes, night sweats, or vaginal dryness (also known as vasomotor symptom), tailor their information on benefits and risks according to age, personal circumstances, and potential risk factors.

NICE stated that “it emphasizes the importance to only prescribe hormone replacement therapy (HRT), within licensed dosages.”

It also stated that while HRT was the most effective treatment of vasomotor symptom, healthcare professionals should “consider menopause-specific cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), as an alternative to HRT, for vasomotor symptom associated with menopause”.

NICE also published a discussion tool to help with shared decision making about HRT. It focuses on the main risks and benefits that need to be considered. You can find it here.

Prof. Jonathan Benger, chief Medical Officer and interim director of NICE’s Centre for Guidelines, said that those considering treatment for symptoms associated with menopause should have access the best evidence available to guide their decision. Menopause treatment should be tailored to each individual.

This updated NICE guideline clarifies the benefits and risks of HRT, and the role of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) for vasomotor symptomatology. The guidelines also include a discussion tool to help support shared decision-making.