Morbidity and Mortality in Colombia: A Statistical Analysis of Occupational Risks in Times of Covid-19

ABSTRACT

This research presents a statistics analysis of the morbidity and mortality of occupational risks as a result of companies and workers affiliated to the General System of Occupational Risks in Colombia during the 2019 and 2020 period, also framed in the events generated due to the pandemic caused by the COVID-19 disease. For this purpose, a quantitative study with descriptive scope was carried out, based on statistical data from the Federation of Colombian Insurers - FASECOLDA, obtained from the different Occupational Risks Administrators. According to the above, a decrease in the number of companies affiliated to the General System of Occupational Risks was observed in November 2019, where a total of 882.283 affiliated companies were registered, while for this same month in 2020, only 826.950 were evidenced. In the same way, this brought with it a decrease in the number of affiliated workers, from 11.032.433 to 10.408.531 workers in the same period, representing a decrease of 6%. On the other hand, it was established that qualified as work-related illnesses increased exponentially from 8.202 illnesses in the year 2019 to a total of 49.788 in 2020, where the most representative increase was evidenced in the Health and Social Services Sector, which increased from 481 cases per year to 34.750, a value corresponding to 70% of the total diseases classified as work-related in 2020. In second place, the Real Estate Sector stands out, which presented an increase from 979 to 5.288 diseases, followed by the Transport, Storage and Communications sector with an increase from 381 to 1.489 cases. Regarding qualified as work related accidents in 2019 and 2020, a decrease of 172.139 cases was established, representing a variation of 28% less. In the same way, the mortality generated by work accidents ranged from 488 to 375, consolidating a 23% of decrease in deaths compared to the previous year, a situation that differs from deaths caused by occupational diseases, which increased from 4 to 76 cases. © 2021, The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG.