Worker health impacts from working from home during the COVID-19 pandemic.

BACKGROUND: COVID-19 was first reported in December 2019 in Wuhan, China. With the rapid spread of the virus, the World Health Organization (WHO) in March 2020 declared the initial outbreak of the disease a pandemic. OBJECTIVE: To assess the challenges and consequences of working from home on worker health during the COVID-19 pandemic. METHOD: Cross-sectional and descriptive study developed in Curitiba, Paraná, Brazil, from December 2020 to January 2021. An online questionnaire was used to interview workers working from home and later a statistical analysis was performed. RESULTS: 327 workers from various fields of activity participated, mainly those from the south of the country, women, and workers who develop activities in education. In addition, results show anxiety and/or irritability, weight gain, discouragement, headaches and muscle and joint problems. CONCLUSION: Most participants found an increase in working hours while working from home, with several breaks during the day and adequate furniture. However, there was a worsening of physical pain and changes in symptoms of anxiety, weight gain, discouragement and headaches.

Riscos biomecânicos e ocupacionais em uma central de materiais e esterilização / Biomechanical and occupational risks in a material and sterilization central

INTRODUÇÃO: Os profissionais que atuam na central de material e esterilização (CME) possuem a função de recepcionar, limpar, esterilizar, embalar e armazenar utensílios utilizados em cirurgias no hospital. Trata-se, assim, de uma profissão de grande exigência física e mental, com alta carga de trabalho e estresse. OBJETIVO: Analisar os riscos biomecânicos e os sintomas osteomioarticulares de servidores da CME de um complexo hospitalar público. MATERIAIS E MÉTODOS: Estudo observacional prospectivo que foi desenvolvido em um hospital público do sul do país. Participaram 20 profissionais, tais como auxiliares, técnicos e enfermeiros. Os critérios de inclusão foram que o indivíduo atuasse na CME, ser auxiliar, técnico ou enfermeiro da CME ao menos há 6 meses, idade igual ou maior que 18 anos, de ambos os sexos, e exercer qualquer função. Os critérios de exclusão foram estar em período de férias ou licença saúde/capacitação no período de coleta de dados, trabalhar no setor há menos de 6 meses. Instrumentos de coleta: questionário sociodemográfico internacional de atividade física (IPAQ) - versão curta e o Nórdico de Sintomas Osteomusculares. RESULTADOS: Verificou-se que 85% dos profissionais são do sexo feminino; a idade média foi de 47 anos; 70% são auxiliares de enfermagem; 85% dos profissionais possuem filhos; 35% apresentaram dores em pescoço, punhos/mãos e quadril/coxas; 85% sentem dores de cabeça recorrentes; 50% já sofreram algum acidente de trabalho, sendo 80% com perfurocortantes. CONCLUSÃO: Conclui-se que os servidores de CME têm riscos biomecânicos e ocupacionais. Assim, medidas preventivas devem ser adotadas para minimizar riscos à saúde física e mental dos mesmos.

INTRODUCTION: Professionals working in the Material and Sterilization Central (MSC) have the function of receiving, cleaning, sterilizing, packing, and storing utensils used in hospital surgeries. It is thus a profession of great physical and mental demand with high workload and stress. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the biomechanical and osteomioarticular symptoms of employees of a CME in a hospital complex. METHODS: It is characterized as observational and prospective, developed in a public hospital in the south of the country. Twenty professionals participated, such as assistants, technicians, and nurses, who answered the sociodemographic, international physical activity questionnaires (IPAQ) - short and Nordic Musculoskeletal Symptoms. RESULTS: It was found that 85% of professionals are female; the mean age was 47 years; 70% are nursing assistants; 85% of the professionals have children; 35% had neck pain, wrists/hands, and hip/thighs; 85% experience recurrent headaches; 50% have already suffered some work accident, 80% with sharps. CONCLUSION: It is concluded that MSC servers have biomechanical and occupational risks and that preventive measures should minimize risks to their physical and mental health.