Mansour, Huwaida El-Hillal
(2007)
American Adolescents at Work.
Master's Thesis, University of Pittsburgh.
(Unpublished)
Abstract
Despite advances in technology and medicine, safety for working adolescents still challenges 21st century Americans. One would think that by now, in the beginning of the new millennium, America would have cured this disease of child labor that infects its younger population. Yet, injuries still maim and kill America's working youth. Politicians speak out against child obesity, and both celebrities and ordinary citizens criticize school violence, especially after a Columbine or Virginia Tech massacre. Human rights activists picket clothing lines that depend upon the work of underpaid children in developing countries, and Congress holds hearings to ensure that American consumers do not buy goods produced by these exploited children. However, health care providers, legislators, and the general public often relegate child labor to the back burner. Moreover, many diminish the role of child labor in the United States by viewing child labor as a social, economic, and political problem limited to developing countries. The employment of children in the work force should be in the forefront of domestic health policy because of its social and economic significance to public health. Even though current societal awareness indicates some understanding of the health risks of adolescent workers, statistics continue to show a bleak picture of preventable workplace injuries and fatalities of this vulnerable population.This paper defines "child or youth" as any individual 17 or younger who engages in some kind of work. In discussing youth employment, the paper does more than just describe child labor laws; it also focuses on the unique traits of this young population and the trends that characterize its employment. This gives an identity to the faceless young men and women who deal with the risks of the industrial and agricultural work places. Once presenting the current statistics on injuries and fatalities incurred by youth in both the industrial and agricultural sectors, the paper compares the similarities and differences in the major industries between youth and adult workers. It then moves into the legal arena, describing what has been done and what still needs to happen to combat child labor problems.
Share
| Citation/Export: |
|
| Social Networking: |
|
Details
| Item Type: |
University of Pittsburgh ETD
|
| Status: |
Unpublished |
| Creators/Authors: |
|
| ETD Committee: |
|
| Date: |
25 September 2007 |
| Date Type: |
Completion |
| Defense Date: |
2 July 2007 |
| Approval Date: |
25 September 2007 |
| Submission Date: |
9 July 2007 |
| Access Restriction: |
No restriction; Release the ETD for access worldwide immediately. |
| Institution: |
University of Pittsburgh |
| Schools and Programs: |
School of Public Health > Occupational Medicine |
| Degree: |
MPH - Master of Public Health |
| Thesis Type: |
Master's Thesis |
| Refereed: |
Yes |
| Uncontrolled Keywords: |
fatalities in teen workers; occupational injuries in teenagers; Teen workers; work-related injuries in young workers |
| Other ID: |
http://etd.library.pitt.edu/ETD/available/etd-07092007-081901/, etd-07092007-081901 |
| Date Deposited: |
10 Nov 2011 19:50 |
| Last Modified: |
15 Nov 2016 13:45 |
| URI: |
http://d-scholarship.pitt.edu/id/eprint/8314 |
Metrics
Monthly Views for the past 3 years
Plum Analytics
Actions (login required)
 |
View Item |
![[feed]](/images/feed-icon-32x32.png){kind=icon}