RESUMO
AIMS: To evaluate the association between working conditions and visual fatigue and mental health among systems analysts living in São Paulo, Brazil. METHODS: A cross sectional study was carried out by a multidisciplinary team. It included: ergonomic analysis of work, individual and group interviews, and 553 self applied questionnaires in two enterprises. The comparison population numbered 136 workers in different occupations. RESULTS: The study population mainly comprised young males. Among systems analysts, visual fatigue was associated with mental workload, inadequate equipment and workstation, low level of worker participation, being a woman, and subject's attitude of fascination by the computer. Nervousness and intellectual performance were associated with mental workload, inadequate equipment, work environment, and tools. Continuing education and leisure were protective factors. Work interfering in family life was associated with mental workload, difficulties with clients, strict deadlines, subject's attitude of fascination by the computer, and finding solutions of work problems outside work. Family support, satisfaction in life and work, and adequate work environment and tools were protective factors. Work interfering in personal life was associated with subject's attitude of fascination by the computer, strict deadlines, inadequate equipment, and high level of work participation. Satisfaction in life and work and continuing education were protective factors. The comparison population did not share common working factors with the systems analysts in the regression analysis. CONCLUSIONS: The main health effects of systems analysts' work were expressed by machine anthropomorphism, being very demanding, mental acceleration, mental absorption, and difficulty in dealing with emotions.
Assuntos
Astenopia/etiologia , Computadores , Saúde Mental , Doenças Profissionais/etiologia , Análise de Sistemas , Adulto , Astenopia/psicologia , Atitude Frente aos Computadores , Brasil , Estudos Transversais , Ergonomia , Feminino , Humanos , Relações Interpessoais , Satisfação no Emprego , Masculino , Pessoa de Meia-Idade , Doenças Profissionais/psicologia , Saúde Ocupacional , Análise de Regressão , Fatores de Risco , Carga de TrabalhoRESUMO
OBJECTIVE: To assess the health impact of working conditions among male and female systems analysts. METHODS: In this cross-sectional study, 533 systems analysts of two data analysis companies located in the metropolitan area of São Paulo were studied. Data was collected using work ergonomic assessments, individual and group semi-structured interviews and a self-applied questionnaire. Data analysis was based on contingency tables, Chi-square values at 5% level, prevalence rates and ratios, and their 95% confidence intervals. RESULTS: Of the participants, 40.7% were women who on average were younger that the studied men (59.6% of women and 39% of men were in the age range 25 to 34). Though fatherhood was more frequently seen among men (57.6% x 34.2% for women), women spent more time with household tasks, including children care. There were more men in leading management positions. Work-related discomfort factors were seen in both sexes at similar frequencies. Men most commonly complained of work overload due to tight deadlines, high degree of responsibility, mental strain, and work complexity. Women more frequently complained of postural discomfort, higher exposure to video display terminal, and obsolete equipment. Women reported more visual, musculoskeletal and stress related symptoms, and higher work dissatisfaction and mental fatigue. CONCLUSIONS: The study suggests that the health impact on female systems analysts is associated with the work demands and the women's social role. There is a need of further studies associating health, work and gender and an assessment of the intersection between the domestic and productive roles.
Assuntos
Computadores , Saúde Ocupacional , Fatores Sexuais , Trabalho , Atividades Cotidianas , Adolescente , Adulto , Estudos Transversais , Feminino , Humanos , Satisfação no Emprego , Masculino , Pessoa de Meia-Idade , Prevalência , Estresse Fisiológico/epidemiologia , Mulheres TrabalhadorasRESUMO
Oral contraceptive use has been increasing in Brazil since the late 1970s, and oral contraceptives have been associated with higher incidence of cardiovascular diseases, including hypertension, since their release in the United States and Europe. We examined the association between oral contraceptive use and blood pressure levels in 1457 workers from 10 sectors of the economy, between the ages of 15 and 49 years, in São Paulo, Brazil. Oral contraceptive use was associated with higher age, lower parity, higher income, white ethnic group, and administrative occupations. Using multiple linear regression and logistic regression techniques, we evaluated blood pressure and hypertension differences between users and nonusers. Oral contraceptive users had a mean systolic blood pressure 2.6 mm Hg higher than nonusers after adjustment for multiple potential confounders, including age, income, parity, ethnicity, body mass index, and occupation. There was a statistically significant positive trend between length of time on oral contraceptives and mean systolic blood pressure levels. After adjustment for demographic and social variables, there were no differences between whites and blacks. Oral contraceptive users have an adjusted odds ratio for hypertension of 2.66 (95% CI: 1.51-4.70). The finding of an increasingly positive association between oral contraceptive use and mean systolic blood pressure level suggests cause and effect. This observation has substantial importance because systolic blood pressure is considered the primary predictor of blood pressure-associated morbidity and mortality. This may pose a particular problem in Brazil, since most women on oral contraceptives are not under medical supervision.
Assuntos
Pressão Sanguínea/efeitos dos fármacos , Anticoncepcionais Orais/efeitos adversos , Mulheres Trabalhadoras , Adolescente , Adulto , Fatores Etários , Brasil/epidemiologia , Causalidade , Estudos Transversais , Demografia , Diástole , Etnicidade , Feminino , Humanos , Hipertensão/epidemiologia , Modelos Lineares , Pessoa de Meia-Idade , Fatores Socioeconômicos , SístoleRESUMO
A year-long follow-up study of 146 eye injuries in children up to 15 years of age was carried out in two emergency hospitals of a southern Brazilian city. These injuries represent approximately 65% of the total number of patients seeking ophthalmic care at emergency hospitals within this city. Patients were followed up for at least four months after injury; visual results as well as epidemiological factors were analyzed. Based on these findings, children in the 0- to 5-year-old group were at greatest risk, regardless of sex; among children older than 5 years, eye injuries were more frequent in boys. Generally, the child takes part in the accident as an active participant, and adequate adult supervision decreases the number of these accidents. Analysis of the relationship between socioeconomic levels of the parents and severity of eye injuries revealed that severe eye injuries were more frequent in lower socioeconomic strata. In severe eye injuries 35.1% of the children ended with visual acuity under 20/200 in the affected eye, which corresponds to 9% of all studied eye injuries.