[Diastolic blood pressure associated with accumulated work time among drivers and collectors]

Diabetes mellitus: fatores de risco em trabalhadores de enfermagem

OBJETIVOS: Identificar os fatores de risco para o diabetes mellitus tipo 2, entre trabalhadores de enfermagem do Instituto Estadual de Diabetes e Endocrinologia Luiz Capriglione. MÉTODOS: Estudo transversal com aplicação de dois instrumentos de coleta de dados que incluíram questões abertas e fechadas relativas ao estado de saúde e estilo de vida de 100 trabalhadores de enfermagem dessa instituição de saúde. Foram ainda verificados dados de natureza bioquímica e antropométrica. RESULTADOS: Os resultados confirmaram a ocorrência de importantes fatores de risco de natureza reversível, destacando-se o sedentarismo e a obesidade. CONCLUSÃO: Considera-se a importância do desenvolvimento de ações visando a promoção da saúde com enfoque na prevenção de doenças crônicas, a serem realizadas no próprio ambiente de trabalho.

Agravos à saúde, hipertensão arterial e predisposição ao estresse em motoristas de caminhão

O estudo investigou agravos à saúde que predispõem ao estresse com o uso do Self Reporting Questionnaire (SRQ-20) que avalia possíveis transtornos mentais comuns não psicóticos e identificar a associação com a hipertensão arterial. A amostra foi de 258 motoristas profissionais de transporte de cargas em uma rodovia brasileira (37,5±10,0 anos), 55% ingeriam bebidas alcoólicas, 37% com hipertensão arterial e 57% referiram já ter usado remédios para manter estado de alerta. Os motoristas referiram sentirem-se nervosos, tensos ou preocupados (56%), dormirem mal (47%), dores de cabeça (37%), terem dificuldade de tomar decisões (38%) e dificuldade de pensar com clareza (20%). Obteve-se como resultados que 33% eram portadores de possíveis transtornos mentais comuns e houve associação (p<0,05) com referência de cansaço, diminuição da concentração, considerar-se nervoso ou estressado, ter problemas pessoais ou no trabalho e transportar carga de horário. Não houve associação com hipertensão arterial. Conclui-se que foi expressiva a presença de prováveis transtornos mentais comuns provavelmente decorrentes das condições estressantes de trabalho.

Prevalência de hipertensão arterial entre motoristas de ônibus em Santa Maria, Rio Grande do Sul

OBJETIVOS: O objetivo deste estudo foi identificar a prevalência de hipertensão arterial sistêmica (HAS) em motoristas de ônibus urbanos de Santa Maria/RS e estudar fatores associados à mesma nesta categoria profissional. METODOLOGIA: Realizou-se um estudo epidemiológico do tipo transversal com 214 motoristas e igual número de vizinhos, selecionados por sexo e idade. Foi utilizado um questionário individual padronizado e realizadas medidas da pressão arterial, peso e altura no domicílio do entrevistado. RESULTADOS: A prevalência de HAS entre os motoristas foi de 22,4%, não apresentando diferença significativa entre os grupos, mesmo controlados os fatores de confusão. Entretanto, entre os motoristas, a obesidade (RP 2,30 IC95% 1,04-5,07) e os problemas psiquiátricos menores (RP 2,26 IC95% 1,15-4,43) estiveram associados à HAS. CONCLUSÕES: O FAto de Santa Maria ser uma cidade do interior, com um trânsito menos intenso e de menor complexidade pode ser uma explicação para que os motoristas não apresentem maior prevalência de HAS do que seus vizinhos. O perfil de classe parece ser mais importante do que as características específicas do trabalho de dirigir ônibus.

Incidence of high blood pressure in a group of tannery workers in Brazil

The aim of this study was to measure the incidence of high blood pressure (HBP) in a medium-size tannery in Botucatu, São Paulo State, southeast Brazil. A previous study at this tannery showed a high prevalence of arterial hypertension. A positive correlation was found between cumulated work time and arterial pressure. We followed a cohort of workers for seven years. At the end of this period, HBP incidence rate was calculated as 0.0964.year-1. This was considered high compared to other occupational groups.

Morbidade declarada e condições de trabalho: o caso dos motoristas de São Paulo e Belo Horizonte

Neste artigo se apresentam os principais resultados de levantamentos feitos em São Paulo e Belo Horizonte sobre as condições de trabalho e de saúde dos motoristas do transporte de passageiros. Constataram-se condições de trabalho bastante desfavoráveis e estabeleceram-se associações estatísticas entre essas condições e sérios sintomas de morbidade declarados pelos motoristas. Sugere-se a necessidade de políticas públicas para o setor.

[Functional aging and work conditions in forensic workers]

OBJECTIVE

The objective of this study was to evaluate aging associated to work conditions.

METHOD

Eight hundred and seven forensic workers answered the questionnaire "Work Ability Index - WAI". The ergonomic conditions were analysed using a job analysis method - AET (Rohmert & Landau).

RESULTS

The largest number of employees were mainly submitted to cognitive demands at work. The most reported diagnosed diseases were: musculoskeletal diseases (and lesions), neurological (including emotional disturbances), respiratory, digestive, skin and cardiovascular diseases. The analysis of the logistic regression models showed that: female workers, those with longer time on the job and job title of operational helper, increase the odds ratio to present low or moderate WAI.

DISCUSSION

The results point out the need to improve the working conditions. It is suggested the implementation of Specialized Safety Engineering and Occupational Medicine Service, as it is demanded by the Federal Law 6,514 of 1977.

[Blood pressure among tannery workers]

INTRODUCTION

Cardiovascular diseases have been shown to be the leading cause of death in Brazil since the 1970s. High blood pressure has been the major risk factor among the above mentioned diseases. A negative correlation between occupational qualification and blood pressure has been observed among workers. The above mentioned facts bring out the importance of the knowledge of high blood pressure distribution among the different occupational groups. The aim of the present study was to describe the distribution of blood pressure in stable and homogeneous population of unskilled, low wage earning industrial workers. The Prevalence of high blood pressure was established for this specific group. This prevalence was also related to some biological and socio-economical covariates as compared with that among other occupational groups in Brazil.

METHOD

The subjects were 73 active employees at a tannery in Botucatu, state of S. Paulo, Brazil, in July 1993. These subjects underwent blood pressure measurements, anamnesis and clinical examination. The results were compared with those of similar studies carried out in elsewhere Brazil. Age confounding was controlled by different techniques.

RESULT

The crude prevalence of high blood pressure detected in this group of workers was of 56.1%, with 15.8% of isolated systolic hypertension. Alcohol abuse and smoking were associated with high blood pressure and isolated systolic hypertension in the population studied.

DISCUSSION

Prevalence of hypertension in the group studied is significantly higher than that observed in other groups of workers studied in Brazil. Such a finding points to the need for further investigation so as to isolate those factors involved in the increased blood pressure found in this group.

The acceptable risk of driving after myocardial infarction: are bus drivers a special case?

BACKGROUND

Bus drivers frequently encounter difficulty in returning to their former employment after recovery from myocardial infarction. The risk that a recurrence of myocardial infarction may cause a personal-injury accident is analyzed.

METHODS

The Cumulative Medical Index and Current Contents was searched systematically from 1980 to date, accepting papers irrespective of language. Relevant earlier material was drawn from the author's published reviews on bus driving and myocardial infarction and vehicle accidents. One hundred twenty-three articles were included in the database, of which 110 were used in the review.

RESULTS

The risk of a personal injury accident or fatality from a sudden cardiovascular incident is calculated as the product of typical driving time per day (Td = 0.167), vehicle characteristics (V) (a low factor of 0.167 for an urban bus because of slow speed and use of reserved curb lanes), the risk of recurrence of a sudden cardiovascular incident (SCI) (.015, somewhat greater in bus drivers than in the general population), and the risk that such an incident will cause a personal-injury accident (Ac) (at 0.005, probably lower than in the general population because of low vehicle speeds and the bus driver's experience in defensive driving).

CONCLUSIONS

The overall risk is 0.00002, 1 in 50,000 driver-years, is lower than accepted for passenger-car operators, and only slightly greater than for the older symptom-free adult. Bus drivers who meet the current standards of the Canadian Cardiovascular Society should be encouraged to return to their former employment.