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A scientometric review and meta-analysis of the health and safety of women in construction: structure and research trends

Akinlolu Temisola Mariam (Department of Construction Management and Quantity Surveying, Mangosuthu University of Technology, Jacobs, South Africa)
Oladimeji Benedict Olalusi (Department of Civil Engineering, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, South Africa)
Theo C. Haupt (Faculty of Engineering, Mangosuthu University of Technology, Jacobs, South Africa)

Journal of Engineering, Design and Technology

ISSN: 1726-0531

Article publication date: 25 August 2020

Issue publication date: 7 April 2021

883

Abstract

Purpose

This paper aims to present a meta-analysis and scientometric review to explore the intellectual evolution of research on the health and safety of women in construction, identify trends and research patterns and workplace stressors and hazards encountered by women in the construction industry.

Design/methodology/approach

A combination of scientometric analysis and meta-analysis was adopted to systematically review 32 relevant studies from 1984 to 2020, to provide a holistic review of research on women’s health and safety in construction aimed to identify the trend of research development. Techniques such as co-authorship, keyword co-occurring and cluster analysis were adopted.

Findings

Five main themes summarized by clustering focusing on Workplace Psychological Health, HIV/AIDS and Construction Work, Occupational Health and Safety Injuries, Gender Inclusivity and Sexism in Construction and Gender-specific Health and Safety Analysis. Findings revealed a slow growth in women’s health and safety research with the USA, South Africa, Australia and Japan leading research development. Additionally, the major stressors or hazards faced by women in construction were found to be biological related hazards.

Research limitations/implications

The findings of the study are limited, resulting from the use of one abstract and citation database.

Practical implications

Findings from the study provide insights to the health and safety challenges of women in construction and identifies of knowledge gaps in the existing literature could provide researchers and industry practitioners with a comprehensive insight into intellectual landscapes, potential research frontiers on technologies for women’s construction health and safety.

Originality/value

While numerous studies have focused on the health and safety of workers in the construction industry, research on women’s health and safety is lacking. The study adopted a scientometric and meta-analysis approach to explore the intellectual evolution and reflect the research status on the subject.

Keywords

Acknowledgements

The financial assistance of the National Research Foundation (NRF) towards this research is hereby acknowledged. Opinions expressed and conclusions arrived at are those of the author and are not necessarily to be attributed to the NRF.

Citation

Mariam, A.T., Olalusi, O.B. and Haupt, T.C. (2021), "A scientometric review and meta-analysis of the health and safety of women in construction: structure and research trends", Journal of Engineering, Design and Technology, Vol. 19 No. 2, pp. 446-466. https://doi.org/10.1108/JEDT-07-2020-0291

Publisher

:

Emerald Publishing Limited

Copyright © 2020, Emerald Publishing Limited

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