Prevalence of flu-like syndrome in healthcare workers in Brazil: a national study, 2020.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the prevalence of reported symptoms of flu-like syndrome (FS) among HCW and compare HCW and non-HCW on the chance of reporting these symptoms, this study analyzed data of a population-based survey conducted in Brazil. METHODS: A cross-sectional analysis was performed with self-reported data from the Brazilian National Household Sample Survey (PNAD Covid-19) from May 2020. The authors analyzed a probability sample of 125,179 workers, aged 18 to 65, with monthly income lower than US$ 3 500. The variable HCW or non-HCW was the covariate of interest and having reported FS symptoms or not was the outcome variable. Authors tested interactions of HCW with other covariates. A logit model - when controlling for sociodemographic, employment, and geographic characteristics - investigated the chance of HCW reporting FS compared to non-HCW. RESULTS: HCW have a significant effect (odds ratio of 1.369) on reporting FS symptoms when compared to non-HCW. HCW account for 4.17% of the sample, with a higher frequency of FS (3.38%) than observed for non-HCW (2.43%). Female, non-white and older individuals had higher chance to report FS. CONCLUSIONS: The HCW had a higher chance of reporting symptoms than non-HCW aged over 18 years in the labor force. These results emphasize guidelines for preventive measures to reduce workplace exposures in the healthcare facilities. The prevalence is disproportionately affecting HCW women and HCW non-whites. In the regions North and Northeast the steeper progression is consistent with the hypothesis of socioeconomic factors, and it explains the greater prevalence in HCW and non-HCW living in those territories.

Living and health conditions of public basic education teachers, economic providers for their families during the Covid-19 pandemic, in Minas Gerais / Condições de vida e saúde de professoras da educação básica pública de Minas Gerais provedoras financeiras de suas famílias durante a pandemia de Covid-19 / Condiciones de vida y salud de los docentes de educación básica pública en Minas Gerais, proveedores económicos de sus familias durante la pandemia de COVID-19

Resumo Este artigo busca analisar diferenças nas condições de vida e saúde das professoras principais provedoras do domicílio em comparação às coprovedoras, durante a pandemia de Covid-19. Trata-se de estudo transversal realizado em 2020, por meio de formulário on-line enviado aos professores da rede estadual de Minas Gerais. A variável dependente foi ser ou não a principal provedora da família (principal provedora vs. coprovedora) e as independentes foram agrupadas em sociodemográficas, ocupacionais, situação de saúde e comportamentos. Analisaram-se dados somente das mulheres e estimou-se a regressão logística. Entre as 12.817 professoras participantes, 47,2% declararam-se principais provedoras. Dentre elas, observou-se predomínio de mulheres mais velhas, que viviam sem companheiro(a), com filhos(as) e, no geral, apresentavam características que retrataram pior condição socioeconômica, maior acúmulo de trabalho e comportamentos menos saudáveis. Os resultados permitiram identificar desvantagens nas condições de vida e saúde das professoras principais provedoras financeiras de suas famílias em comparação às coprovedoras.

Abstract The objective was to analyze differences in living and health conditions of teachers who are the main providers for their household compared to co-providers during the COVID-19 pandemic. The cross-sectional study was carried out in 2020, through an online form sent to teachers of public schools in the state of Minas Gerais, Brazil. The dependent variable was whether or not they were their family's main provider (main provider vs. co-provider) and independent variables were grouped into sociodemographic, occupational, health status and behaviors. Only women's data were analyzed and logistic regression was estimated. Among the 12,817 participating female schoolteachers, 47.2% declared to be the main providers. In this subgroup, there was a predominance of older women, who lived without a partner, with children and, in general, these teachers presented worse socioeconomic conditions, greater accumulation of work and less healthy behaviors. The results of the present study allow to identify disadvantages in living and health conditions of female schoolteachers who are the main financial providers of their families compared to co-providers.

Resumen El objetivo fue analizar las diferencias en las condiciones de vida y salud entre las profesoras que son las principales proveedoras del hogar y las coproveedoras, durante la pandemia de COVID-19. Estudio transversal realizado en 2020, a través de un formulario en línea enviado a profesoras de escuelas públicas del estado de Minas Gerais, Brasil. La variable dependiente fue ser o no la proveedora principal de la familia (proveedora principal versus coproveedora) y las variables independientes se agruparon en sociodemográficas, ocupacionales, sanitarias y conductuales. Solo se analizaron los datos de las mujeres y se estimó una regresión logística. Entre las 12.817 maestras participantes, el 47,2 % se declaró proveedora principal. En este subgrupo predominaron las mujeres mayores, que vivían sin pareja, con hijos y, en general, estas profesoras tenían características que retrataban una peor condición socioeconómica, mayor acumulación de trabajo y conductas menos saludables. Los resultados del presente estudio permiten identificar desventajas en las condiciones de vida y salud de las profesoras de escuela que son las principales proveedoras económicas de sus familias en comparación con las coproveedoras.

Back pain occurred due to changes in routinary activities among Brazilian schoolteachers during the COVID-19 pandemic.

OBJECTIVE: This study's main objective was to investigate the emergence of back pain as a consequence to changes in usual activities due to the COVID-19 pandemic among teachers in public schools in the state of Minas Gerais, Brazil. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 15,276 schoolteachers using an online questionnaire. The variables included sociodemographic and occupational data, health situation, habits and behaviors during the COVID-19 pandemic. Bivariate analyses using Pearson's chi-square test and multiple analyses using Poisson regression were performed to identify the associated factors. RESULTS: About 58% of schoolteachers reported back pain due to changes in routine activities during the pandemic. The adjusted model showed a correlation between back pain and female sex, longer working hours, overwork, difficulties concerning distance working, negative changes in health status and quality of sleep; frequent feeling of sadness, depression, or anxiety; use of medications to relax, sleep or against stress/anxiety/depression; physical inactivity or negative changes in the practice of physical activities; increased body weight; reduction of leisure time; increased time of use of computer or tablet and overload of housework. CONCLUSION: During the COVID-19 pandemic, schoolteachers reported a high prevalence of emergence of back pain, which delineates a contradiction in terms: on the one hand, distance education allows social distancing that contributes to the preservation of teachers' health by reducing the risk of contamination by COVID-19. On the other hand, it imposes new demands that-in disagreement with working conditions-can threaten the health of these workers.

Incidence of Reported Flu-Like Syndrome Cases in Brazilian Health Care Workers in 2020 (March to June).

Health care workers (HCWs) are at an increased risk of being exposed to COVID-19. This study aimed to characterize flu-like syndrome cases (FS) in HCWs notified in Brazil and compare them with FS cases in the general community (GC). In the Brazilian protocol, FS corresponds to a suspected case of COVID-19. The manuscript analyzed cases of FS in five Brazilian states, estimating the incidence rates of cases of FS and clinical and epidemiological characteristics. Registered cases (March to June 2020) totaled about 1,100,000 cases of FS. HCWs represented 17% of the registers, whose incidence was 20.41/100 vs. 2.15/100 in the GC. FS cases in HCWs concentrated the highest percentages in the age group of 30 to 49 years (65.15%) and among the nursing staff (46.86%). This study was the first interstate evaluation in Brazil to estimate suspected cases of FS by COVID-19 in HCWs. In order to control the spread of viral respiratory infections in HCWs, including COVID-19, it is necessary to review the management of health information to identify who they are, how many they are, and to what situations these workers are most frequently exposed, as well as in what professions they have. This information can guide specific, practical, and far-reaching actions.