Occupational Well-Being of Multidisciplinary PHC Teams: Barriers/Facilitators and Negotiations to Improve Working Conditions.

Well-being at work is one of the factors determining healthy work conditions and is perceived by workers as a positive psychological state. In this study, the concept of well-being at work was used together with occupational functionality (i.e., current health state, current work environment, and barriers/facilitators to implementing well-being at work), occupational risk perception, and proactivity/negotiations held by workers to improve working conditions. In this context, the objectives were to identify the socio-demographic and occupational characteristics independently associated with levels of well-being at work of the multidisciplinary PHC health team; detect barriers or facilitators resulting from the attitudes of colleagues, community members, and managers that influence the well-being at work of the multidisciplinary health team; and identify with whom and what reasons led health workers to become proactive and negotiate improved working conditions. This cross-sectional study addressed 338 health workers from the multidisciplinary teams of PHC outpatient services in the extreme south of Brazil. Multivariate linear regression models were adopted to analyze data. The results show various independent associations with levels of well-being at work. Nursing workers (technicians and nurses) more frequently expressed job commitment and job satisfaction. Difficulties in solving problems and performing work routines, and co-workers' attitudes directly influence the well-being of the PHC team members. Risk perception (physical and chemical) also influences well-being. Negotiations in which PHC managers engaged to improve working conditions appeared as a significant predictor of job commitment, job satisfaction, and job involvement. The results reveal that well-being at work is an important indicator of the potential of workers' proactivity in negotiating improved working conditions.

Prevalence of Low Back Pain and Dorsalgia and Associated Factors among Casual Dockworkers.

This study's aim was to analyse the relationship between musculoskeletal disorders (low back pain and dorsalgia) and sociodemographic characteristics, workload and occupational hazards among casual dockworkers. This cross-sectional study addressed casual dockworkers from the state of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. The convenience sample was composed of 232 casual dockworkers. Data were collected using a structured interview and observation. Poisson regression analysis was used. Association between low back pain and physiological occupational risk (p = 0.006), total exertion levels (p = 0.014) and frustration (p = 0.020) remained statistically significant, while the use of illicit drugs (p = 0.023), being a quayside worker (p = 0.021) and physiological occupational risk (p = 0.040) remained associated with dorsalgia. Decreasing these variables in the workplace may also reduce the prevalence of musculoskeletal disorders such as low back pain and dorsalgia.

Percepção de risco de aprendizes de solda: avaliação antes e depois de intervenção de enfermagem / Risk perception of apprentice welders: an assessment before and after a nursing intervention / Percepción del riesgo en aprendices de soldadura: evaluación antes y después de intervención de enfermería

Objetivo: avaliar a percepção de aprendizes de solda sobre os riscos físicos, químicos e fisiológicos, antes e depois de intervenção de enfermagem. Método: estudo quantitativo, do tipo antes e depois, realizado com 86 aprendizes de solda. A coleta de dados ocorreu antes e depois de intervenção de enfermagem. Realizou-se análise descritiva e inferencial. O projeto de pesquisa foi aprovado pelo Comitê de Ética em Pesquisa, Protocolo nº 40/2010. Resultados: houve aumento, na comparação antes e depois, das médias da intervenção de enfermagem para todos os riscos, o que indica aumento da percepção dos aprendizes após o conteúdo comunicado. Os riscos fisiológicos foram diferentes estaticamente (p = 0,026). Conclusão: a comunicação de risco desenvolvida por meio da intervenção de enfermagem pode modificar a percepção do risco, o que contribuirá para que, de forma consciente, os aprendizes de solda possam evitar danos a sua saúde.(AU)

Objective: to assess the perception of apprentice welders regarding physical, chemical and physiological risks before and after a nursing intervention. Method: this was a quantitative study with a before and after design, conducted with 86 apprentice welders. Data were collected before and after a nursing intervention. Descriptive and inferential statistical analysis was carried out. The study was approved by the institution's research ethics committee, as per protocol no. 40/2010. Results: the mean value for all risks was higher after the intervention than before, which indicates an increase in the perception of the apprentices once the content was shared. Physiological risks presented a statistical difference (p=0.026). Conclusion: risk communication developed through the nursing intervention can change risk perception, which can help apprentice welders be more aware of and avoid damages to health.(AU)

Objetivo: evaluar la percepción de aprendices de soldadura sobre los riesgos físicos, químicos y fisiológicos antes y después de intervención de enfermería. Método: estudio cuantitativo del tipo antes y después de intervención de enfermería, con 86 aprendices de soldadura. Se realizó análisis descriptivo e inferencial. El Proyecto de investigación fue aprobado por el Comité de Ética en Investigación, Protocolo nº 40/2010. Resultados: Existió aumento en la comparación antes y después de la intervención de enfermería en los promedios para todos los riesgos, lo cual indica mayor percepción del riesgo por parte de los aprendices luego de habérseles impartido los conocimientos. Los riesgos fisiológicos fueron diferentes estadísticamente (p=0,026). Conclusión: la comunicación de riesgo desarrollada mediante la intervención de enfermería puede modificar la percepción del riesgo, lo que contribuirá a que, de forma consciente, los aprendices de soldadura puedan evitar daños a su salud.(AU)

Risk communication concerning welding fumes for the primary preventive care of welding apprentices in southern Brazil.

This study's aim was to assess the perceptions of welding apprentices concerning welding fumes being associated with respiratory and cardiovascular disorders and assess the implementation of risk communication as a primary prevention tool in the welding training process. This quasi-experimental, non-randomized study with before-and-after design was conducted with 84 welding apprentices in Southern Brazil. Poisson Regression analysis was used. Relative Risk was the measure used with a 95% confidence interval and 5% (p ≤ 0.05) significance level. Significant association was found between perceptions of worsened symptoms of respiratory disorders caused by welding fumes and educational level (p = 0.049), the use of goggles to protect against ultraviolet rays (p = 0.023), and access to services in private health facilities without insurance coverage (p = 0.001). Apprentices younger than 25 years old were 4.9 times more likely to perceive worsened cardiovascular symptoms caused by welding fumes after risk communication (RR = 4.91; CI 95%: 1.09 to 22.2). The conclusion is that risk communication as a primary preventive measure in continuing education processes implemented among apprentices, who are future welders, was efficacious. Thus, this study confirms that risk communication can be implemented as a primary prevention tool in welding apprenticeships.

Risk perception and risk communication for training women apprentice welders: a challenge for public health nursing.

This research has aimed to identify the perceptions of women apprentice welders about physical, chemical, biological, and physiological risk factors to which they are exposed and evaluate the identification of health disorders self-reported for women apprentice welders before and after implementation of a nursing socioenvironmental intervention. A quantitative study was performed with 27 women apprentice welders (first phase) and before and after an intervention with 18 women (second phase) in Southern Brazil in 2011. The data were analysed using SPSS 19.0. The participants identified the following risk types: physical (96.2%), chemical (96.2%), physiological (88.8%), and biological (62.9%). The results show a significant difference of the pre- and posttest averages for the musculoskeletal system and a posttest average increase for the integumentary, respiratory, and auditory system. A correlation of the women apprentices' ages and the identification of health disorders were made. It was understood that the perception of women apprentices regarding a particular set of occupational risks is essential for public health nursing to develop an effective risk communication as a positive tool for teaching and learning.

Risk perception and occupational accidents: a study of gas station workers in southern Brazil.

The present study aimed to identify the perceptions of gas station workers about physical, chemical, biological and physiological risk factors to which they are exposed in their work environment; identify types of occupational accidents involving gas station workers and; report the development of a socioenvironmental intervention as a tool for risk communication to gas station workers. A quantitative study was performed with 221 gas station workers in southern Brazil between October and December 2010. Data collection was performed between October to December 2010 via structured interviews. The data were analyzed using SPSS 19.0. The participants identified the following risk types: chemical (93.7%), physical (88.2%), physiological (64.3%) and biological (62.4%). In this sample, 94.1% of gas station workers reported occupational accidents, and 74.2% reported fuel contact with the eyes (p < 0.05). It is concluded that workers perceive risks, and that they tend to relate risks with the occurrence of occupational accidents as an indicator of the dangerous nature of their work environment.

Risk communication as a tool for training apprentice welders: a study about risk perception and occupational accidents.

The present study has aimed to identify the perceptions of apprentice welders about physical, chemical, biological, and physiological risk factors to which they are exposed; identify types of occupational accidents involving apprentice welders; and report the development of a socioenvironmental education intervention as a tool for risk communication for apprentice welders. A quantitative study was performed with 161 apprentice welders in Southern Brazil in 2011. Data collection was performed via structured interviews with the apprentice welders about risk perception, occupational accidents, and time experienced in welding. The data were analyzed using SPSS 19.0. The participants identified the following risk types: physical (96.9%), chemical (95%), physiological (86.3%), and biological (51.5%). In this sample, 39.7% of apprentice welders reported occupational accidents and 27.3% reported burning. The inferential analysis showed that the frequency of risk perception factors increases with the length of experience, and apprentice welders who have experienced accidents during welding activity perceive a higher amount of risk factors than those who have never experienced them. It is concluded that apprentice welders perceive risks and that they tend to relate risks with the occurrence of occupational accidents as an indicator of the dangerous nature of their activity.