Interrelationships between nursing workers' state of nutrition, socio demographic factors, work and health habits

Association between occupational stress, work shift and health outcomes in hospital workers of the Recôncavo of Bahia, Brazil: the impact of COVID-19 pandemic

The aim of this study was to ascertain the level of occupational stress before and during the COVID-19 pandemic, how it changed and its association with health outcomes of hospital workers in the Recôncavo of Bahia, Brazil. A longitudinal study was conducted with 218 hospital workers over 18 years old. A semi-structured questionnaire was used for collecting sociodemographic, occupational, lifestyle, anthropometric and health data. The main exposures were occupational stress, assessed through Job Content Questionnaire and classified according to the Demand-Control Model and reported shift work. Health outcomes considered were nutritional status assessed by BMI, waist circumference and body fat percentage, health self-perception and cardiovascular risk factors. We used McNemar χ2 or Wilcoxon tests to compare the levels of exposure and outcome variables before and during the pandemic, and OR to evaluate associations between changes in occupational stress and shift work with health outcomes. During the pandemic, participants reported increased occupational stress and shift work and lower self-perceived health and had higher BMI and cardiovascular risk factors, compared with before the pandemic. No association was observed between change in occupational stress and health outcomes. However, increased amount of shift work was related to increased BMI in the overall sample (OR 3·79, 95 % CI (1·40, 10·30)) and in health workers (OR 11·56; 95 % CI (2·57, 52·00)). These findings support calls to strengthen labour policies to ensure adequate working conditions for hospital workers in context of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Regular consumption of fruit and vegetables by the Judiciary’s public servers of the Minas Gerais State, Brazil

ABSTRACT Objective To estimate the prevalence and factors associated with the regular consumption of fruits and vegetables by the civil servants of the Minas Gerais State Judicial System. Methods This is a cross-sectional analytical study, with a representative sample (n=1.005) of the Minas Gerais State Judicial System’s civil servants. The outcome variable “regular fruit and vegetable consumption” refers to fruit and vegetable consumption on five or more days per week. The explanatory variables were divided into three blocks: (1) sociodemographic (gender, age, education, race/skin color; income); (2) health conditions and life habits (chronic diseases, absenteeism due to illness, consumption of alcoholic beverages, smoking, physical activity and nutritional status); and (3) work characteristics and psychosocial factors (weekly workload, position, overtime, use of the electronic Judicial Process, county, psychological demand and control). Hierarchical Poisson regression by blocks was used to analyze potential factors associated with the outcome. Results The prevalence of regular consumption of fruits and vegetables was 55.3%. Associations were found with female gender, income above 12 minimum wages, sufficient physical activity, use of Electronic Judicial Process, while there was a negative association with alcohol abuse. Conclusion Regular consumption of fruit and vegetable among civil servants in the Judiciary was positively associated with female gender, higher incomes and physical activity. The consumption of alcoholic beverages was negatively associated with the outcome. Educational actions and programs aimed at encouraging healthy lifestyle habits are recommended, in order to raise awareness and involve public servants at all stages of the process.

Non-specific low back pain and its relation to the nursing work process

OBJECTIVE

to relate nonspecific low back pain within the nursing work context with their workloads, attrition processes and the risks of illness.

METHOD

a cross-sectional study with 301 workers from a general hospital in the south of the country. The Nordic Musculoskeletal Questionnaire and the Work Context Assessment Scale composed of three dimensions were used: working conditions, work organization and socio-professional relations. The association of variables with low back pain was tested using bivariate and multivariate analyzes. The measure of association used was the Odds Ratio and its respective intervals with 95% confidence. The data collected were discussed under the theoretical framework of the work process within the marxist conception and the theory of social determination of the health-disease process.

RESULTS

there was a statistically significant association between the dimensions of work organization and working conditions with low back pain and they obtained a critical classification meaning moderate risks to the professional illness.

CONCLUSION

the study allowed a better understanding of the nursing work process and its relation with nonspecific low back pain and signaled that changes in the organization and working conditions should occur in order to reduce the risks of nursing workers' illness.

Incidência de ganho de peso em trabalhadores de um hospital: análise de sobrevivência

Resumo O ganho de peso na vida adulta pode ser responsável por doenças crônicas, e seu acompanhamento pode ser um subsídio para evitar esses agravos. O objetivo foi analisar o ganho de peso e fatores associados em trabalhadores de um hospital privado no município do Rio de Janeiro. Trata-se de uma coorte retrospectiva com 686 trabalhadores, que realizaram ao menos dois exames de saúde ocupacionais (admissional e periódico) entre os anos de 2010 e 2015. O método de Kaplan-Meier e o modelo de regressão semiparamétrico de riscos proporcionais de Cox foram utilizados. A incidência de ganho de peso dos trabalhadores do hospital foi de 22 casos/100 pessoas-ano. O ganho de peso nos trabalhadores com mais de 30 anos foi 35% menor (p < 0,001), quando comparado ao ganho de peso naqueles de até 30 anos. Em relação à escolaridade, as taxas de incidência de ganho de peso nos trabalhadores de níveis fundamental e médio se apresentaram maiores, com magnitude de até 61%, comparadas aos de nível superior completo (p < 0,001); e no setor de trabalho considerado fechado foi 63% maior quando comparada ao setor aberto (p < 0,001). Ganho de peso é um fenômeno multifacetado e complexo, podendo os setores de trabalho de uma unidade hospitalar contribuir fortemente para a ocorrência do mesmo.

Excesso de peso e fatores associados entre profissionais de saúde da Estratégia Saúde da Família

Resumo Introdução Há aumento global na prevalência da obesidade, importante fator de risco para as doenças crônicas não transmissíveis. Objetivo Avaliar a prevalência de excesso de peso e os fatores associados entre profissionais de saúde da Estratégia Saúde da Família. Método Estudo transversal, com 215 profissionais de saúde de Montes Claros, MG, em 2015. Investigaram-se informações demográficas, laborais, comportamentais e de hábitos alimentares. Os profissionais foram classificados quanto à presença de um perfil de saúde - concomitância de índice de massa corporal normal, não fumar, consumir frutas e verduras diariamente, praticar atividade física e não adicionar sal às refeições. Análise estatística com modelo de regressão logística para identificar os fatores associados ao excesso de peso. Resultados Participaram agentes comunitários de saúde (58,0%), enfermeiros (27,0%), técnicos de enfermagem (9,0%) e médicos (6,0%). A maioria do sexo feminino (87%) e idade média de 35,92 (±8,98). Possuíam excesso de peso 53,5% (36,7% com sobrepeso; 16,8% com obesidade). A idade avançada, outro vínculo de trabalho, consumo de frutas e verduras irregular e ausência do perfil de saúde apresentaram associação com excesso de peso. Conclusão Houve alta prevalência de excesso de peso entre os profissionais de saúde, associado ao estilo de vida e trabalho.

Burnout Syndrome and shift work among the nursing staff

Objective:

to analyze the factors associated with Burnout Syndrome among nursing workers according to work shift.

Method:

cross-sectional study addressing a representative sample of 502 nursing workers from a philanthropic hospital facility. Data were collected using a characterization instrument, the Maslach Burnout Inventory - Human Service Survey and the Demand-Control-Support Questionnaire. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and multiple binary logistic regression.

Results:

levels of Burnout Syndrome were significantly higher among those working the day shift and associated factors included: high demand; low control; low social support; dissatisfaction with sleep and financial resources; being a nurse; and sedentariness. Professionals working the night shift, having low social support, being dissatisfied with sleep, having children, not having a religion, having worked for a short period in the institution, and being a nursing technician or aid were significantly more likely to experience high levels of the syndrome.

Conclusion:

psychosocial factors and factors from the work context, mainly low social support, were associated with the syndrome dimensions among nursing workers of both shifts.