ABSTRACT
Background: In Chile, the number of sick leaves due to mental health problems has systematically increased in recent years. Aim: To perform an analysis of sick leaves due to mental problems managed by the Fondo Nacional de Salud (FONASA) during 2008. Material and Methods: Analysis of all sick leaves awarded during 2008for mental or behavioral problems, that were managed at FONASA. A negative binomial regression, was performed to predict the effects of different variables on the total duration of sick leaves. Results: A total of546,477 sick leaves were awarded to 198,752 individuals (2.27per subject). The mean duration of each leave was 15.6 days. Summing all leaves, the lapse off work was 98 ± 96 days (median 65 days). Women had longer leaves than men. The type of medical leave, occupation, working for private or public institutions, economic activity and diagnosis were significantly associated with duration of time off work. Conclusions: Sick leaves for mental problems are prolonged and related to gender and socioeconomic variables.
Subject(s)
Adult , Female , Humans , Male , Mental Disorders/epidemiology , Occupations/statistics & numerical data , Sick Leave/statistics & numerical data , Chile/epidemiology , Mental Disorders/classification , Mental Disorders/complications , Occupations/classification , Regression Analysis , Sex Distribution , Sick Leave/classification , Socioeconomic Factors , Time FactorsABSTRACT
En el artículo se presentan y discuten los resultados de la evaluación realizada a 44 trabajadores referidos por el Instituto de Seguridad Laboral, como presuntos portadores de un trastorno mental de origen laboral. Metodología: se trata de un estudio exploratorio, para el cual se combinaron entrevistas psicolaborales semi estructuradas, entrevistas psiquiátricas estandarizadas, y entrevista psiquiátrica tradicional. Resultados: 85 por ciento de los casos presenta un trastorno mental actual, mayoritariamente depresivo, atribuible al trabajo. Como origen del malestar, la gran mayoría de los entrevistados refiere problemas interpersonales al interior del trabajo, en especial, conflictos con la jefatura. Discusión: la proporción de casos calificados como laborales en este estudio contrasta fuertemente con lo que ocurre en las mutualidades de empleadores. Ello, más la dificultad para identificar un perfil claro que diferencie a quienes presentan un trastorno mental laboral de uno común, lleva a preguntarse sobre la pertinencia de la ley y del marco institucional chileno para proteger la salud mental de los trabajadores.
The article presents and discusses the results of the evaluation of 44 workers sent by the Instituto de Seguridad Laboral as they presumably may suffer from a work-related mental disorder. Methodology: this is an exploratory research based on a combination of psychological semi-structured interviews (focus on the interviewees work condition), standardized psychiatric interviews and traditional psychiatric interviews. Results: 85 percent of cases present work-related mental disorder, most of them depressive, accountable to work conditions. As the origin of their discomfort, the vast majority of the interviewees refer interpersonal problems at work, especially, conflicts with their leaderships. Discussion: the proportion of cases diagnosed as work-related in this study strongly differs of what happens at the Mutuales de Empleadores, which in addition to the difficulties to identify a clear profile that distinguish those who present a work-related mental disorder from those who do not, leads us to question the pertinence of the current Chilean law and institutional framework to protect workers mental health.