Documents Cadernos de Saúde Pública 5 results

"As part of the international CUPID investigation, we compared physical and psychosocial risk factors for musculoskeletal disorders among nurses in Brazil and Italy. Using questionnaires, we collected information on musculoskeletal disorders and potential risk factors from 751 nurses employed in public hospitals. By fitting country specific multiple logistic regression models, we investigated the association of stressful physical activities and psychosocial characteristics with site-specific and multisite pain, and associated sickness absence. We found no clear relationship between low back pain and occupational lifting, but neck and shoulder pain were more common among nurses who reported prolonged work with the arms in an elevated position. After adjustment for potential confounding variables, pain in the low back, neck and shoulder, multisite pain, and sickness absence were all associated with somatizing tendency in both countries. Our findings support a role of somatizing tendency in predisposing to musculoskeletal disorders, acting as an important mediator of the individual response to triggering exposures, such as workload."

" Occupational exposure to some pesticides, and particularly DBCP and chlordecone, may adversely affect male fertility. However, apart from the therapeutic use of diethylstilbestrol, the threat to human reproduction posed by "endocrine disrupting" environmental contaminants has not been supported by epidemiological evidence thus far. As it concerns other endocrine effects described in experimental animals, only thyroid inhibition following occupational exposure to amitrole and mancozeb has been confirmed in humans. Cancer of the breast, endometrium, ovary, prostate, testis, and thyroid are hormone-dependent, which fostered research on the potential risk associated with occupational and environmental exposure to the so-called endocrine-disrupting pesticides. The most recent studies have ruled out the hypothesis of DDT derivatives as responsible for excess risks of cancer of the reproductive organs. Still, we cannot exclude a role for high level exposure to o,p'-DDE, particularly in post-menopausal ER+ breast cancer. On the other hand, other organochlorine pesticides and triazine herbicides require further investigation for a possible etiologic role in some hormone-dependent cancers."

"En este artículo se plantea la relación entre trabajo remunerado, trabajo doméstico y salud, desde la perspectiva de género. La relación entre ambos tipos de trabajo determina las características y el significado de la vida cotidiana. La metodología utilizada conjuntó técnicas cuantitativas y cualitativas. Se aplicó un cuestionario individual a 256 trabajadores y 121 trabajadoras (n = 377) de una moderna industria farmacéutica en México. También se hicieron siete entrevistas en profundidad entre trabajadores seleccionados por conveniencia. Los hallazgos principales muestran que a pesar de las enormes similitudes encontradas en el trabajo asalariado entre mujeres y varones, las diferencias pueden resumirse en dos conjuntos: por un lado, las distintas formas de segregación de género en el mercado de trabajo y, por el otro, en las formas de enfrentar la vida cotidiana. Se puede decir que los determinantes sociales que han cobijado esta desigual situación son resultado de la complejidad de las relaciones de género y dan lugar a diferentes perfiles patológicos y concepciones sobre la salud."

"O artigo trata do impacto do trabalho noturno sob o enfoque de gênero, através de trabalho de campo em uma indústria que emprega homens e mulheres no turno noturno. O estudo se baseia em informações sobre os horários de sono por várias semanas, dados sócio-demográficos e relativos ao trabalho profissional e em entrevistas semi-estruturadas. A metodologia considera aspectos cronobiológicos do sono - essencialmente quantitativos - e elementos discursivos dos/as trabalhadores/as sobre suas vivências - masculinas e femininas - da troca do dia pela noite. Em que pese as questões de gênero e diferenças quanto ao cotidiano, a inversão de horários é sentida de forma intensa por homens e mulheres, permeando diversos aspectos da vida, como a saúde, o lazer, os estudos e as relações amorosas. A análise quantitativa do sono revelou efeitos mais prejudiciais do trabalho noturno sobre as mulheres, particularmente as que têm filhos. Tais padrões do sono se articularam com as expectativas que recaem sobre os gêneros, revelando a profunda interrelação entre o trabalho profissional e a vida doméstica como geradoras de impactos à saúde, o que ressalta o caráter essencial das relações de gênero na compreensão da realidade vivida pelos que trabalham em horários não usuais."

"Asbestos is one of the main occupational carcinogens recognized and studied in the literature. Its uses have undergone major changes in recent decades, with severe restrictions on commercial amphiboles according to different patterns: in developed countries asbestos is strictly controlled or banned, except in Japan, while in developing countries consumption has leveled off or increased. As an example, Brazil is one the seven world leaders in asbestos production and consumption. Although there is a clear excess of mesotheliomas linked to amphibole exposure, mainly to crocidolite, there is no evidences that chrysotile is harmless to the pleura. Also, the relationship between fibrogenesis and carcinogenesis is not sufficiently understood to defend the concept that there are protective exposure limits to both diseases. "Controlled use" policy may be effective at the occupational level in a select group of companies, representing only a fraction of the exposed population. In developing countries subject to economic pressures, these issues merit proper discussion to avoid unnecessary disease and death."