Kontakt 2017, 19(4):e263-e269 | DOI: 10.1016/j.kontakt.2017.09.004

Working conditions in selected groups of immigrants living in the Czech RepublicSocial Sciences in Health - Original article

Iva Brabcová^a,*, Jitka Vacková^b

^a Jihočeská univerzita v Českých Budějovicích, Zdravotně sociální fakulta, Ústav ošetřovatelství, porodní asistence a neodkladné péče, České Budějovice, Česká republika

^b Jihočeská univerzita v Českých Budějovicích, Zdravotně sociální fakulta, Ústav sociálních a speciálněpedagogických věd, České Budějovice, Česká republika

The aim of this research was to confirm connections between work characteristics in selected groups of immigrants living in the Czech Republic and their nationality. As a part of the aim, gender differences in working conditions for the selected immigrants were also investigated.

Methods: Research was conducted using the quantitative method of questioning. Data were collected from 1014 immigrants, but due to non-complete answers concerning nationality and gender "only" 994 questionnaires were used, which consisted of Ukrainians, Vietnamese, Russians, Poles and Slovaks.

Results: This research has confirmed the existence of statistically significant differences between the type of work and corresponding working conditions within the selected immigrant groups. Ukrainian respondents are most frequently employed in manual labour, which also corresponds to a higher physical strain, and a noisy and dusty working environment. Respondents of Vietnamese origin most often work in the service sector, which involves a combination of manual and intellectual work. The Polish, Slovak and also Russian respondents are much more frequently engaged in intellectual work, and therefore stated an increased satisfaction with their financial situation. Almost half of the Vietnamese respondents worry about work insecurity. Gender differences are also significant; Slovak men work manually significantly more often than women. Vietnamese, Ukrainian, Slovak and Polish men have a significantly higher income, but also less favourable working conditions than women. On the other hand, women state significantly higher stress at work.

Keywords: Immigrants; Work; Working conditions; Health; Gender differences

Received: July 12, 2017; Revised: August 30, 2017; Accepted: September 21, 2017; Published: November 21, 2017  Show citation