ALENCAR, MARIA DO CARMO BARACHO DE
Federal University of Sao Paulo, Brazil, Federal University of Sao Paulo, Brazil,Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil
Biography
Maria do Carmo Baracho de Alencar is an Associate Professor and member of Health, Education and Society Department, Institute of Health and Society of the Federal University of Sao Paulo (UNIFESP), Brazil. Álvaro Roberto Crespo Merlo is a Full Professor at Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Brazil.
Abstract
This study aimed to understand the relationship between work organization and the low back pain of nutrition attendants. This is an exploratory, descriptive and qualitative study. There were a survey of absenteeism in a public hospital in Porto Alegre, Brazil, from June 2015 to June 2016 and the Food Distribution Section was selected because of the high prevalence of work-related musculoskeletal disorder (WRMSD) in the period. A structured questionnaire was used with sociodemographic, work and health data, and individual interviews were conducted with those with low back pain. The interviews had a media time of 1hour, and they were integrally transcribed for thematic content analyses. Ten (10) interviewers participated in this study, all female, aged between 29 and 60. The majority had a time of practice in the profession for over ten years (n=6), and for the rest this time ranged from 3 to 10 years. The results obtained demonstrated ways of organizing work with overloads, the presence of musculoskeletal pains in day-by-day work, excessive collections, 'privilege games' and power games, and lack of recognition at work. These situations influenced in the processes of illness due to the low back pain of these nutrition attendants, indicating a greater awareness of mental and physical health among this professional category.
Descriptors: occupational health; back pain; nutrition hospital service; mental health; psychology.