ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Occupational accidents are a complex phenomenon and a major
public health problem.
Occupational health surveillance actions are essential for prevention of
injuries of this
nature .
OBJECTIVE: To ascertain the
prevalence of and the variables associated with
occupational accidents in the city of Itajubá (MG). DESIGN AND
SETTING: A
cross-sectional study with a quantitative approach, based on a
household survey with random sampling, was conducted in areas covered by the
Family Health Strategy (FHS) in Itajubá (MG).
METHODS: Questionnaires were applied to 292 people. The data were analyzed by means of
logistic regression .
RESULTS: The
prevalence of
occupational accidents was 8.6%. The underreporting rate was 60.0%. The scenario for these
accidents , according to the model established through the
regression analysis , was most likely to involve
males who declared their
skin color as
white and
who did not have a formal
employment contract .
CONCLUSION: This study makes a contribution towards unveiling the relationship between
healthcare and
work , and thus serve as support for the development of
strategies to prevent underreporting. Lastly, the results provide the basis for
future public health intervention actions and for
future studies.