Quebec Statistical Institute

Abstract.Using a typology combining pay, hours of work, skill levels and job stability, the author compares the trends in quality of employment between women and men (with and without childcare responsibilities) in Quebec and the United Kingdom over the decade 1998–2008. Although the gender gap narrowed significantly among working parents with young children, the gap between mothers and fathers in this group remained much smaller in Quebec than in the United Kingdom by the end of the period. The author attributes this pattern to Quebec's healthier economic environment, more women‐friendly social policies, and fathers' significantly shorter hours of work.

Meslé, France, Laurent Toulemon et Jacques Véron (dir.), Dictionnaire de démographie et des sciences de la population, Armand Colin, 2011. Un article de la revue Cahiers québécois de démographie (La fin des recensements ?) diffusée par la plateforme Érudit.

In the course of the "1998 Health and Social Survey", questions were included to verify the prevalence of chronic respiratory diseases and also of wheezing. The objectives of this study were 1) to verify the prevalence of wheezing and its validity as an indicator of chronic respiratory diseases in Québec; and 2) to examine the relationship between chronic respiratory diseases and some of their potential determinants. A total of 30,386 individuals participated in the study. For all ages, the prevalence of wheezing was 5.4%. It was associated with asthma, allergies, chronic bronchitis and emphysema. A low familial income and tobacco smoking were associated with wheezing, asthma, chronic bronchitis and emphysema. Passive smoking was associated with wheezing whereas the presence of carpets was associated with wheezing and asthma. Between 32 and 48% of families with an asthmatic or an allergic member modified their dwelling to alleviate respiratory problems. The prevalence of wheezing documented here was lower than in anglosaxon countries. This result could be explained by a cultural factor (the French translation or the perception of wheezing). This study emphasizes the role of reducing tobacco smoking in the prevention of chronic respiratory diseases.