Resumen

TOMASINA, Fernando; BOZZO, Elizabeth; CHAVES, Elizabeth  y  PUCCI, Francisco. Impact of working conditions on the workers´health in a surgical center. Rev Cubana Salud Pública [online]. 2008, vol.34, n.2. ISSN 0864-3466.

Introduction The origin of the present paper was to deal with the complex problem of working conditions and their impact on the occupational health from an interdisciplinary perspective, and with the involvement of the workers. Objectives To learn about the working conditions of the surgical center workers in Hospital de Clínicas and to identify the healthy and dangerous processes as well as the health-disease profile. Methods the research work was carried out in the surgical center of the University Hospital. It was a descriptive study involving interviews and group surveys, with a qualitative approach within a participation-action research context. Results The most important results revealed lack of favourable working conditions in terms of heat conditioning, ventilation and lighting. Physical, chemical and biological risks determine a complex profile of burden that affects the workers, who considered it as an important risk for their health. The perceived health-disease profile was in line with visual disorders, skin rash, allergic and osteoarticular problems. It was found that tiredness was a poorly defined but frequent morbid process. Regarding acute lesions, accidents caused by sharp implements and traumas were the most outstanding. Conclusions A process of changes occurred in the surgical center after the identification of positive and/or negative processes in relation to health, which is a central issue in the design of occupational health promotion strategies

Palabras clave : Occupational health; Surgical Center; participatory research; risk map.