Avaliação da incapacidade e qualidade de vida de trabalhadores da produção de indústrias cerâmicas / Assessment of disability and quality of life among ceramic industry workers

Introdução: As indústrias cerâmicas estão sujeitas a uma gama de fatores, como temperatura elevada, poeira, trabalho em pé, que, em maior ou menor grau, podem levar a desconfortos e adoecimentos relacionados ao trabalho. Objetivo: Avaliar a qualidade de vida e a funcionalidade de trabalhadores de indústria cerâmica. Métodos: O presente estudo envolveu uma abordagem transversal quantitativa. Foram avaliados 189 trabalhadores de indústrias cerâmicas, aos quais foram aplicados o Questionário de Qualidade de Vida WHOQOL-Bref, a avaliação da força muscular por meio de dinamômetros, o Questionário Nórdico de Sintomas Osteomusculares (QNSO), a escala visual analógica (EVA), o Oswestry Low Back Pain Disability Questionnaire (ODQ 2.0), bem como o Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand (DASH). Resultados: Na média geral, 115 (60,8%) responderam que sua qualidade de vida é regular. O segmento que os trabalhadores mais se referiram à dor foi a coluna lombar: 68 (36,0%) apresentaram dor nos últimos 12 meses, e 38 (20,1%) nos últimos sete dias. Em membros superiores, 107 (56,6%) exibiram fraqueza muscular. Conclusão: Os achados desvendam a presença de sintomatologia dolorosa em percentual superior ao encontrado para outras categorias profissionais. A fraqueza muscular, principalmente nos membros superiores, e a percepção sobre a qualidade de vida, que prevaleceu como regular, denotam comprometimento parcial da saúde de parte desses trabalhadores, pois embora não tenha demonstrado ser incapacitante é percebido como impactante nos seus contextos de vida e trabalho.

Background: The ceramic industries are subject to a range of factors, such as high temperature, dust, standing work, and these factors, in greater or lesser degree, can lead to discomfort and disorders related to work. Objective: To evaluate the quality of life and the functionality of ceramic industry workers. Methods: This study involved a quantitative transversal approach involving 189 workers of ceramic industries, that were evaluated. The questionnaire of quality of life WHOQOL-Bref was applied, as well as the evaluation of muscle strength through dynamometers, the Nordic questionnaire of musculoskeletal symptoms, the Visual Analog Scale (VAS), the Oswestry Low Back Pain Disability Questionnaire (ODQ 2.0) and the Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand (DASH). Results: On the general average, 115 (60.8%) responded that their quality of life is regular. The segment that the workers most referred to pain was the lumbar spine: 68 (36.0%) presented pain in the last 12 months, and 38 (20.1%) in the last seven days. In upper limbs, 107 (56.6%) exibed muscle weakness. Conclusion: The findings unravel the presence of painful symptoms in a percentage higher than that one found to other professional categories. The muscular weakness mainly in the upper limbs and the perception of the quality of life, which prevailed as regular, demonstrate that there is partial commitment of the health of part of these workers, which although not demonstrated to be disabling is perceived as impact on their life and work contexts.

Elemental composition of vegetables cultivated over coal-mining waste

ABSTRACT We assessed elemental composition of the liver in mice subjected to one-time or chronic consumption of the juice of vegetables cultivated in a vegetable garden built over deposits of coal waste. Lactuca sativa L. (lettuce), Beta vulgaris L. (beet), Brassica oleracea L. var. italica (broccoli) and Brassica oleracea L. var. acephala (kale) were collected from the coal-mining area and from a certified organic farm (control). Elemental composition was analyzed by particle-induced X-ray emission (PIXE) method. Concentrations of Mg, S, and Ca of mice subjected to one-time consumption of broccoli and concentrations of these same elements plus Si of mice receiving kale were higher in the coal-mining area. Concentrations of P, K, and Cu were increase after chronic consumption of lettuce from the coal-mining area, whereas the levels of Si, P, K, Fe, and Zn were higher in the group consuming kale from the coal-mining area. Our data suggests that people consuming vegetables grown over coal wastes may ingest significant amounts of chemical elements that pose a risk to health, since these plants contain both essential and toxic metals in a wide range of concentrations, which can do more harm than good.