ABSTRACT
Background: 1 out of 5 cases of COVID-19 in Mexico occurred in health workers, and the high risk of contagion in these workers caused absenteeism due to temporary leave from work (TLfW), as well as the need to establish qualification criteria for COVID-19 as an occupational disease (OD). There are no quantitative data about the labor population to whom this benefit has been provided, nor on the economic impact of not being qualified as OD. Objective: To estimate the prevalence of qualification of OD by COVID-19 in health workers from a tertiary care hospital (TCH). Material and methods: Descriptive, cross-sectional, and retrospective study carried out from March 2020 to April 2021, which included health workers from a TCH who had TLfW due to COVID-19 and were working 14 days before it was issued. Variables such as OD, days of TLfW, category, among others, were analyzed, as well as the economic income lost by remaining as a general disease (GD). It was used descriptive statistics. Results: A total of 654 health workers had TLfW due to COVID-19, with a prevalence of OD of 18.5%; 17 days of TLfW were granted on average. Nurses were classified with the high number of OD, and the category with the highest prevalence was cleaning and hygiene assistant (36%). 5310 days of TLfW were subsidized as GD, equivalent to $510,385.60 (Mexican pesos) that were not granted as an economic benefit to the population that did not have an OD qualification due to COVID-19. Conclusions: The prevalence of recognition of COVID-19 as OD was low; most of TLfWs were subsidized as GDs.
Introducción: 1 de cada 5 casos de COVID-19 en México se presentó en trabajadores de la salud (TS) y la alta tasa de contagio provocó ausentismo por incapacidad temporal para el trabajo (ITT), así como la necesidad de establecer criterios para calificar la COVID-19 como enfermedad de trabajo (ET). No hay datos cuantitativos sobre la población laboral a la que se le ha dado esta prestación, ni sobre el impacto económico de que no sea calificada como ET. Objetivo: estimar la prevalencia de calificación de ET por COVID-19 en trabajadores de un hospital de tercer nivel (HTC). Material y métodos: estudio descriptivo, transversal y retrospectivo llevado a cabo de marzo de 2020 a abril de 2021, que incluyó trabajadores de la salud de un HTC que generaron una ITT por COVID-19 y estaban laborando 14 días antes de su expedición. Se analizaron las variables ET, días de ITT, categoría e ingreso económico perdido al permanecer como enfermedad general (EG). Se usó estadística descriptiva. Resultados: 654 trabajadores generaron ITT por COVID-19, con una prevalencia de ET del 18.5%; se otorgaron en promedio 17 días de ITT. A enfermería se le calificó el mayor número de ET y auxiliar de limpieza e higiene tuvo mayor prevalencia de ET (36%). Se generaron 5310 días de ITT subsidiados como EG, equivalentes a $510,385.60 pesos, que no fueron otorgados como prestación económica a la población que no contó con calificación de ET por la COVID-19. Conclusiones: la prevalencia del reconocimiento de la COVID-19 como ET fue baja; más del 80% de las ITT permanecieron y fueron subsidiadas como EG.
