Cost-Effectiveness of a Multi-faceted Workplace Intervention to Reduce Musculoskeletal Pain in Nursing Staff: A Cluster-Randomized Controlled Trial (INTEVAL_Spain).

PURPOSE: To evaluate the cost-effectiveness of a multifaceted workplace intervention to reduce musculoskeletal pain (MSP) in nursing staff. METHODS: The study was a 1-year cluster-randomized controlled trial. The intervention combined participatory ergonomics, health promotion, and case management. The control group received usual care. Societal and health system perspectives were used. Costs included direct health and indirect costs. The effects were MSP and quality-adjusted life years (QALYs). MSP was measured using the Standardized Nordic Questionnaire at baseline and 6- and 12-month follow-up. QALYs were measured using the EuroQol-5D-3L at 6- and 12-month follow-up. Incremental costs and QALYs were modelled using generalized linear models. MSP was analysed through generalized logistic models. Incremental cost-effectiveness ratios (ICERs) were calculated, and cost-effectiveness planes and acceptability curves were constructed. RESULTS: Total mean costs per person were €614 and €216 for the intervention and control group, respectively, with a societal perspective. The intervention mean cost was €38/person. From the societal perspective, the ICER showed that overall additional €68 (€9 from a health system perspective) were required to achieve 1-extra-percentage-point reduction of MSP. ICERs were €34 from the societal and €4 from the health system perspectives for neck, shoulders and upper back pain; €53 and €7 for low back; €179 and €23 for hands; €39 and €5 for legs; €115 and €14 for the knees; €36 and €5 for feet For MSP in the elbows. For participants with pain in the elbow, and for QALYs, the ICER showed that the intervention group was dominated by the control group. CONCLUSION: This intervention was not cost-effective in terms of QALYs. However, in terms of MSP, with a willingness to pay of €100, the probability of the intervention being cost-effective was around 90%. Further studies incorporating our recommendations are needed to confirm these findings. STUDY REGISTRATION: ISRCTN15780649, retrospectively registered.

[Excess mortality in 2020 in the working-age population of nine Latin American countriesExcesso de mortalidade na população em idade ativa em nove países da América Latina no ano de 2020]. / Exceso de mortalidad en población en edad de trabajar en nueve países de Latinoamérica, año 2020.

Objective: Estimate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, through excess all-cause mortality and potential years of productive life lost (YPLL) in the working-age population, in selected Latin American and Caribbean countries. Methods: Study based on data on deaths from all causes from age 15 to 69 years, mainly from national institutes of statistics. Estimates of expected deaths were based on reported deaths from 2015 to 2019. Excess mortality was estimated using the P indicator, standardized mortality ratio (SMR), and potential YPLL up to age 70 years. Results: Excess deaths in Brazil, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, the Dominican Republic, Mexico, and Peru totaled 426 978 (279 591 men and 147 438 women), representing a potential loss of 5 710 048 (3 738 775 in men and 1 971 273 in women) years of productive life. Observed mortality was significantly higher than expected in all countries except the Dominican Republic. Conclusions: COVID-19 in the working-age population will have a profound impact on socio-economic conditions. Timely counting of excess deaths is useful and can be used as an early warning system to monitor the magnitude of COVID-19 outbreaks. Monitoring of excess mortality in working-age people by the Ibero-American Observatory on Safety and Health at Work enables more accurate assessment of the social and economic burden of COVID-19.

Objetivo: Estimar o impacto da pandemia de COVID-19 durante o ano de 2020, por meio do excesso de mortalidade por todas as causas e dos anos produtivos de vida perdidos (APrVP) na população em idade ativa, em uma seleção de países da América Latina e do Caribe. Métodos: Estudo baseado em dados de óbitos por todas as causas entre 15 e 69 anos, principalmente dos Institutos Nacionais de Estatística. Os óbitos esperados foram estimados a partir daqueles registrados entre 2015 e 2019. O excesso de mortalidade foi estimado por meio do indicador P, da razão de mortalidade padronizada (RMP) e dos APrVP até os 70 anos. Resultados: O excesso de óbitos no Brasil, na Bolívia, no Chile, na Colômbia, na Costa Rica, em Cuba, no México, no Peru e na República Dominicana totalizou 426 978 (279 591 em homens e 147 438 em mulheres), o que representou uma perda de 5 710 048 (3 738 775 em homens e 1 971 273 em mulheres) APrVP. A mortalidade observada foi significativamente maior do que o esperado em todos os países, exceto na República Dominicana. Conclusões: O impacto da COVID-19 na população em idade ativa terá um impacto profundo na situação socioeconómica. O cálculo oportuno do excesso de mortes é útil e pode ser usado como um sistema de alerta precoce para monitorar a magnitude dos surtos de COVID-19. O monitoramento do excesso de mortalidade em pessoas em idade ativa, realizado pelo Observatório Ibero-Americano de Segurança e Saúde no Trabalho, permite avaliar com mais precisão a carga social e econômica da COVID-19.

Monitoring Self-Perceived Occupational Health Inequities in Central America, 2011 and 2018.

Objectives. To analyze changes in occupational health inequity between 2011 and 2018 among workers in Central America. Methods. Data were collected by face-to-face interviews at the workers' homes for the 2 Central America Working Conditions Surveys (n = 12 024 in 2011 and n = 9030 in 2018). We estimated health inequity gaps by means of absolute and relative population attributable risks and the weighted Keppel index. We stratified all analyses by gender. Results. Between 2011 and 2018, the proportion of workers reporting poor self-perceived health decreased both in women (from 32% to 29%) and men (from 33% to 30%). However, the health inequity gaps remained wide in the 4 stratifiers. Measured by the Keppel index, health inequity gaps between countries increased from 22% to 39% in women and from 20% to 29% in men. Conclusions. While health improved between 2011 and 2018, health inequity gaps remained wide. Wider health inequity gaps were observed between countries than by gender, age, occupation, or education. Public Health Implications. This first benchmark of occupational health inequities in Central America could be useful when developing and evaluating the impact of public policies on work.

Informal employment and poor self-perceived health in Latin America and the Caribbean: a gender-based comparison between countries and welfare states in a pooled analysis of 176,786 workers.

BACKGROUND: More than half of the working population in Latin American and Caribbean (LAC) countries is engaged in informal employment. The few previous studies indicate that this employment condition could have negative consequences for workers' health. The aim of the present study was to estimate the association between self-perceived health and informality in LAC countries according to gender and welfare state type. METHODS: The cross-sectional study based on different working conditions and health national surveys was carried out in 13 LAC countries between 2012 and 2018. A sample of 176,786 workers was selected from these surveys. The association between health and informality was estimated using Poisson regression. Finally, a random effects meta-analysis was carried out by country. All results were stratified by sex and type of welfare state (statalist or familialist). RESULTS: Informal workers reported significantly worse health than formal workers, for both women (1.28 [95% CI 1.14-1.43]) and men (1.30 [1.12-1.50]). This difference was broader and more significant in countries with statalist welfare state regimes, among both women (1.40 [1.22-1.60]) and men (1.51 [1.30-1.74]), than in familialist regime countries (1.19 [1.03-1.38] and 1.24 [1.03-1.49], respectively). CONCLUSIONS: This study provides strong evidence of the association between informal employment and worker health. Welfare states appear to have a modifying effect on this association. The transition from the informal to the formal labour market in LAC is essential to improving the health of the population.

Health inequity in workers of Latin America and the Caribbean.

BACKGROUND: Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) is the world's most inequitable region in terms of wealth distribution. The full scale of social inequalities in health has been hidden by the lack of reliable data. This study aimed to measure and compare health inequalities in the working population within and between 15 countries of LAC. METHODS: A sample of 180,163 workers aged 18 years and older was drawn from the most recent national surveys of working conditions or health in 15 LAC countries. Poor self-perceived health (P-SPH) was used as a health indicator, and age, education level, and occupational category as inequality stratifiers. We calculated four measures: absolute and relative population-attributable risks, the Kuznets and weighted Keppel indexes. RESULTS: P-SPH prevalence ranged from 9% in men from Uruguay to 50% in women from Nicaragua. It was higher in women than in men in most countries. A clear gradient was shown, in which young people in non-manual skilled jobs and high education had the lowest prevalence. Nearly 45% of cases that reported P-SPH among men and 35% among women could be avoided if all the groups received a higher level of education. Also, approximately 42% of P-SPH reported by men and 31% by women could be avoided if they all shared the working and employment conditions of non-manual skilled jobs. CONCLUSIONS: Wide health inequalities were found between occupational and educational groups in LAC. However, country borders appear to be an even more important stratifier in the production of health inequalities. Urgent interventions to improve worker's health are needed in countries where prevalence of poor self-perceived health is high. Strengthening occupational health surveillance system in LAC countries should become a priority, in order to track the interventions to reduce occupational health inequity.

[Telework: Data and evidence before and during the COVID-19 pandemic]. / Datos y evidencias del teletrabajo, antes y durante la pandemia por COVID-19.

This short essay starts from the hypothesis that teleworking is nothing more, and nothing less, than the manifestation of an announced change of time, of which the pandemic is acting as an accelerator. A change of era defined by a new economic and labor space that is cyberspace, which deepens the digitization of the economy and the flexibilization of the labor market. Teleworking is an expected result in this new reality. The pandemic has exponentially increased this new form of work organization, defined as work done at home using electronic equipment. From a global perspective, the ILO has estimated, based on household surveys of 31 countries carried out in the second quarter of 2020, that 17.4% of the employed people worldwide, some 557 million, worked in that sector. period in their homes, ranging from 25.4% in high-income countries to 13.6% in low-income countries. For Latin America, teleworking rose between 25-30% in the second quarter of 2020, and in Europe, Eurofound, in April 2020, estimated that 37% of participants had started working at home with the onset of the pandemic. All of which has made it possible to maintain certain economic activity and the employment relationship of these people during the pandemic. Likewise, it should not be forgotten that the pandemic has also caused huge job losses, especially during the second quarter of 2020, when, according to ILO estimates, more than 300 million full-time jobs were lost. Job losses that as of the 2nd quarter of 2021 have not yet recovered from pre-pandemic levels. In this sense, it should not be forgotten that teleworking does not create new occupations, it only provides a new way of organizing work for those occupations whose tasks can be performed virtually. At the time of writing this article, after a year of restrictions on economic activity, mobility and social interaction, the surveys that Eurofound has continued to carry out show that exclusive teleworking, every day of the week, is decreasing in the whole of the European Union, from 34% in summer 2020 (second round) to 24% in spring 2021 (third round). Given that the pandemic has not yet ended, and we do not know how the "experiment" will end, we must continue to monitor these changes in the way of working, and how they affect the labor market and employment and working conditions. As far as we know, teleworking offers great advantages, but also important disadvantages, with respect to working and employment conditions, which can, positively or negatively, affect the health of the teleworker. Telework regulation is a key element of cyberspace-based regulation of the digital economy, and it must be a global issue.

Este breve ensayo parte de la hipótesis de que el teletrabajo no es nada más, y nada menos, que la manifestación de un anunciado cambio de época, del cual la pandemia está actuando como acelerador. Un cambio de época definida por un nuevo espacio económico y laboral, además de social, que es el ciberespacio, que profundiza en la digitalización de la economía y la flexibilización del mercado de trabajo. El teletrabajo es un resultado esperado en esta nueva realidad. La pandemia ha incrementado exponencialmente esta nueva forma de organización del trabajo, definida como el trabajo realizado en domicilio utilizando equipos electrónicos. Desde una perspectiva global, la OIT ha estimado, en base a las encuestas de hogares de 31 países realizadas en el segundo trimestre de 2020, que el 17,4% de las personas ocupadas de todo el mundo, unos 557 millones, trabajaron en ese periodo en sus domicilios, oscilando entre el 25,4% en los países de renta alta y el 13,6% en los países de renta baja. Para América Latina, el teletrabajo se elevó entre a un 25-30% en el segundo trimestre de 2020, y en Europa, Eurofound, en el mes de abril de 2020, estimó que el 37% de los participantes había empezado a trabajar en el domicilio con el inicio de la pandemia. Todo lo cual ha permitido mantener cierta actividad económica y la relación laboral de estas personas durante la pandemia. Asimismo, no hay que olvidar que la pandemia ha provocado también enormes pérdidas de empleo, especialmente durante el segundo trimestre de 2020, en que según las estimaciones de la OIT se perdieron más de 300 millones de empleos a jornada completa. Unas pérdidas de empleos que en el segundo trimestre de 2021 aún no se han recuperado respecto a los niveles anteriores a la pandemia. En este sentido, no hay que olvidar que el teletrabajo no crea nuevas ocupaciones, solo proporciona una nueva forma de organizar el trabajo para aquellas ocupaciones cuyas tareas pueden realizarse virtualmente. En el momento de elaboración de este artículo, después de un año de restricciones en la actividad económica, la movilidad y la interacción social, las encuestas que ha continuado realizando Eurofound muestran que el teletrabajo exclusivo, todos los días de la semana, está disminuyendo en el conjunto de la Unión europea, desde el 34% en verano de 2020 al 24% en la primavera de 2021. Dado que la pandemia aún no ha finalizado, y que no sabemos cómo acabará este "experimento", debemos continuar monitorizando estos cambios en la manera de trabajar, y cómo afectan al mercado de trabajo y a las condiciones de empleo y trabajo. Hasta donde sabemos, el teletrabajo ofrece grandes ventajas, pero también importantes inconvenientes, respecto a las condiciones de trabajo y empleo, las cuales pueden afectar a la salud de la persona que teletrabaja, positiva o negativamente. La regulación del teletrabajo es un elemento clave de la regulación de la economía digital basada en el ciberespacio, y debe tener un alcance global.

Informal Employment and Poor Mental Health in a Sample of 180,260 Workers from 13 Iberoamerican Countries.

The aim of this study is to estimate the association between employment conditions and mental health status in the working population of Iberoamerica. In this cross-sectional study, we pooled individual-level data from nationally representative surveys across 13 countries. A sample of 180,260 workers was analyzed. Informality was assessed by social security, health affiliation, or contract holding. Mental health was assessed using several instruments. We used Poisson regression models to estimate the contribution of informality to poor mental health by sex and country, adjusted by sociodemographic and work-related characteristics. Then, we performed a meta-analysis pooling of aggregate data using a random-effects inverse-variance model. Workers in informal employments showed a higher adjusted prevalence ratio (aPR) of poor mental health than those in formal employment in Peru (aPR men 1.5 [95% confidence intervals 1.16; 1.93]), Spain (aPR men 2.2 [1.01; 4.78]) and Mexico (aPR men 1.24 [1.04; 1.47]; women 1.39 [1.18; 1.64]). Overall estimates showed that workers in informal employment have a higher prevalence of poor mental health than formal workers, with it being 1.19 times higher (aPR 1.19 [1.02; 1.39]) among men, and 1.11 times higher prevalence among women (aPR 1.11 [1.00; 1.23]). Addressing informal employment could contribute to improving workers' mental health.

Informal Employment, Working Conditions, and Self-Perceived Health in 3098 Peruvian Urban Workers.

Peru has one of the highest informal employment rates in Latin America (73%). Previous studies have shown a higher prevalence of poor self-perceived health (P-SPH) in informal than in formal workers. The aim of this study was to analyze the role of working conditions in the association between informality and SPH in an urban working population in Peru. We conducted a cross-sectional study based on 3098 workers participating in the working conditions survey of Peru 2017. The prevalence of P-SPH and exposure to poor working conditions were calculated separately for formal and informal employment and were stratified by sex. Poisson regression models were used to assess the association between P-SPH and informal employment, with crude and adjusted prevalence ratios (PR) for working conditions. Informal employment affected 76% of women and 66% of men. Informal workers reported higher exposition to poor working conditions than formal workers and reported worse SPH. Informal workers had a higher risk of P-SPH than formal workers: PR 1.38 [95% CI: 1.16-1.64] in women and PR 1.27 [95% CI: 1.08-1.49] in men. Adjustment by working conditions weakened the association in both sexes. In women, this association was only partially explained by worse working conditions; PR 1.23 [95% CI: 1.04-1.46]. Although some of the negative effect of informal employment on workers´ health can be explained by the characteristics of informality per se, such as poverty, a substantial part of this effect can be explained by poor working conditions.

Association between informal employment and mortality rate by welfare regime in Latin America and the Caribbean: an ecological study.

OBJECTIVE: We aimed to estimate the association between informal employment and mortality in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) by comparing welfare state regimes. DESIGN: Ecological study using time-series cross-sectional analysis of countries. Informality was estimated from household surveys by the Center for Distributive, Labor and Social Studies in collaboration with the World Bank, and the adult mortality rates for 2000-2016 were obtained from the WHO databases. Countries were grouped by welfare state regimes: state productivist, state protectionist and familialist. We calculated the compound annual growth rate for each country and performed linear regression between the informality and the adult mortality rates stratified by sex and welfare state regime. SETTING: Seventeen countries from LAC with available data on informality and adult mortality rates for 2000-2016. PRIMARY OUTCOME MEASURE: The association between informality and mortality by welfare state regime. RESULTS: Between 2000 and 2016, mortality rates decreased an average 1.3% per year and informal employment rates 0.5% per year. We found a significant positive association between informality and mortality rates (women: R2=0.48; men: R2=0.36). The association was stronger among the state regime countries (women: R2=0.58; men: R2=0.77), with no significant association among the familialist countries. CONCLUSION: Informal employment negatively impacts population health, which is modified by welfare state regimes. Addressing informal employment could be an effective way to improve population health in LAC. However, linkage with public health and labour market agendas will be necessary.

Exceso de mortalidad en población en edad de trabajar en nueve países de Latinoamérica, año 2020

[RESUMEN]. Objetivo. Estimar el impacto de la pandemia de la COVID-19 durante el año 2020, a través del exceso de mortalidad por todas las causas y los años potenciales de vida laboral perdidos en la población en edad de trabajar, de una selección de países latinoamericanos y el Caribe. Métodos. Estudio basado en datos de defunciones por todas las causas entre 15 y 69 años, procedentes principalmente de los Institutos Nacionales de Estadísticas. Se estimaron defunciones esperadas a partir de las registradas entre 2015 y 2019. El exceso de mortalidad fue estimado a través del indicador P, la razón de mortalidad estandarizada (RME) y los años potenciales de vida laboral perdidos (AVLP) hasta los 70 años. Resultados. El exceso de defunciones en Brasil, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, México, Perú y República Dominicana sumó 431 083 (282 558 en hombres y 148 575 en mujeres), lo que representó una pérdida de 5 715 770 (3 742 955 en hombres y 1 972 815 en mujeres) de APVLP. La mortalidad observada fue significativamente superior a la esperada en todos los países, menos República Dominicana. Conclusiones. El impacto de la COVID-19 en la población en edad de trabajar tendrá un impacto profundo en la situación socioeconómica. El recuento oportuno del exceso de muertes resulta útil y puede ser usado como un sistema de alerta temprana para monitorizar la magnitud de los brotes de COVID-19. La monitorización del exceso de mortalidad en personas en edad de trabajar, realizada por el Observatorio Iberoamericano de Seguridad y Salud en el Trabajo permite evaluar con mayor exactitud la carga social y económica de la COVID-19.

[ABSTRACT]. Objective. Estimate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, through excess all-cause mortality and potential years of productive life lost (YPLL) in the working-age population, in selected Latin American and Caribbean countries. Methods. Study based on data on deaths from all causes from age 15 to 69 years, mainly from national institutes of statistics. Estimates of expected deaths were based on reported deaths from 2015 to 2019. Excess mortality was estimated using the P indicator, standardized mortality ratio (SMR), and potential YPLL up to age 70 years. Results. Excess deaths in Brazil, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, the Dominican Republic, Mexico, and Peru totaled 431 083 (282 558 men and 148 575 women), representing a potential loss of 5 715 770 (3 742 955 in men and 1 972 815 in women) years of productive life. Observed mortality was significantly higher than expected in all countries except the Dominican Republic. Conclusions. COVID-19 in the working-age population will have a profound impact on socio-economic conditions. Timely counting of excess deaths is useful and can be used as an early warning system to monitor the magnitude of COVID-19 outbreaks. Monitoring of excess mortality in working-age people by the Ibero-American Observatory on Safety and Health at Work enables more accurate assessment of the social and economic burden of COVID-19.

[RESUMO]. Objetivo. Estimar o impacto da pandemia de COVID-19 durante o ano de 2020, por meio do excesso de mortalidade por todas as causas e dos anos produtivos de vida perdidos (APrVP) na população em idade ativa, em uma seleção de países da América Latina e do Caribe. Métodos. Estudo baseado em dados de óbitos por todas as causas entre 15 e 69 anos, principalmente dos Institutos Nacionais de Estatística. Os óbitos esperados foram estimados a partir daqueles registrados entre 2015 e 2019. O excesso de mortalidade foi estimado por meio do indicador P, da razão de mortalidade padronizada (RMP) e dos APrVP até os 70 anos. Resultados. O excesso de óbitos no Brasil, na Bolívia, no Chile, na Colômbia, na Costa Rica, em Cuba, no México, no Peru e na República Dominicana totalizou 431 083 (282 558 em homens e 148 575 em mulheres), o que representou uma perda de 5 715 770 (3 742 955 em homens e 1 972 815 em mulheres) APrVP. A mortalidade observada foi significativamente maior do que o esperado em todos os países, exceto na República Dominicana. Conclusões. O impacto da COVID-19 na população em idade ativa terá um impacto profundo na situação socioeconómica. O cálculo oportuno do excesso de mortes é útil e pode ser usado como um sistema de alerta precoce para monitorar a magnitude dos surtos de COVID-19. O monitoramento do excesso de mortalidade em pessoas em idade ativa, realizado pelo Observatório Ibero-Americano de Segurança e Saúde no Trabalho, permite avaliar com mais precisão a carga social e econômica da COVID-19.

Exceso de mortalidad en población en edad de trabajar en nueve países de Latinoamérica, año 2020 / Excess mortality in 2020 in the working-age population of nine Latin American countries / Excesso de mortalidade na população em idade ativa em nove países da América Latina no ano de 2020

RESUMEN Objetivo. Estimar el impacto de la pandemia de la COVID-19 durante el año 2020, a través del exceso de mortalidad por todas las causas y los años potenciales de vida laboral perdidos en la población en edad de trabajar, de una selección de países latinoamericanos y el Caribe. Métodos. Estudio basado en datos de defunciones por todas las causas entre 15 y 69 años, procedentes principalmente de los Institutos Nacionales de Estadísticas. Se estimaron defunciones esperadas a partir de las registradas entre 2015 y 2019. El exceso de mortalidad fue estimado a través del indicador P, la razón de mortalidad estandarizada (RME) y los años potenciales de vida laboral perdidos (AVLP) hasta los 70 años. Resultados. El exceso de defunciones en Brasil, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, México, Perú y República Dominicana sumó 426 978 (279 591 en hombres y 147 438 en mujeres), lo que representó una pérdida de 5 710 048 (3 738 775 en hombres y 1 971 273 en mujeres) de APVLP. La mortalidad observada fue significativamente superior a la esperada en todos los países, menos República Dominicana. Conclusiones. El impacto de la COVID-19 en la población en edad de trabajar tendrá un impacto profundo en la situación socioeconómica. El recuento oportuno del exceso de muertes resulta útil y puede ser usado como un sistema de alerta temprana para monitorizar la magnitud de los brotes de COVID-19. La monitorización del exceso de mortalidad en personas en edad de trabajar, realizada por el Observatorio Iberoamericano de Seguridad y Salud en el Trabajo permite evaluar con mayor exactitud la carga social y económica de la COVID-19.

ABSTRACT Objective. Estimate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, through excess all-cause mortality and potential years of productive life lost (YPLL) in the working-age population, in selected Latin American and Caribbean countries. Methods. Study based on data on deaths from all causes from age 15 to 69 years, mainly from national institutes of statistics. Estimates of expected deaths were based on reported deaths from 2015 to 2019. Excess mortality was estimated using the P indicator, standardized mortality ratio (SMR), and potential YPLL up to age 70 years. Results. Excess deaths in Brazil, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, the Dominican Republic, Mexico, and Peru totaled 426 978 (279 591 men and 147 438 women), representing a potential loss of 5 710 048 (3 738 775 in men and 1 971 273 in women) years of productive life. Observed mortality was significantly higher than expected in all countries except the Dominican Republic. Conclusions. COVID-19 in the working-age population will have a profound impact on socio-economic conditions. Timely counting of excess deaths is useful and can be used as an early warning system to monitor the magnitude of COVID-19 outbreaks. Monitoring of excess mortality in working-age people by the Ibero-American Observatory on Safety and Health at Work enables more accurate assessment of the social and economic burden of COVID-19.

RESUMO Objetivo. Estimar o impacto da pandemia de COVID-19 durante o ano de 2020, por meio do excesso de mortalidade por todas as causas e dos anos produtivos de vida perdidos (APrVP) na população em idade ativa, em uma seleção de países da América Latina e do Caribe. Métodos. Estudo baseado em dados de óbitos por todas as causas entre 15 e 69 anos, principalmente dos Institutos Nacionais de Estatística. Os óbitos esperados foram estimados a partir daqueles registrados entre 2015 e 2019. O excesso de mortalidade foi estimado por meio do indicador P, da razão de mortalidade padronizada (RMP) e dos APrVP até os 70 anos. Resultados. O excesso de óbitos no Brasil, na Bolívia, no Chile, na Colômbia, na Costa Rica, em Cuba, no México, no Peru e na República Dominicana totalizou 426 978 (279 591 em homens e 147 438 em mulheres), o que representou uma perda de 5 710 048 (3 738 775 em homens e 1 971 273 em mulheres) APrVP. A mortalidade observada foi significativamente maior do que o esperado em todos os países, exceto na República Dominicana. Conclusões. O impacto da COVID-19 na população em idade ativa terá um impacto profundo na situação socioeconómica. O cálculo oportuno do excesso de mortes é útil e pode ser usado como um sistema de alerta precoce para monitorar a magnitude dos surtos de COVID-19. O monitoramento do excesso de mortalidade em pessoas em idade ativa, realizado pelo Observatório Ibero-Americano de Segurança e Saúde no Trabalho, permite avaliar com mais precisão a carga social e econômica da COVID-19.

O futuro do trabalho após a COVID-19: o papel incerto do teletrabalho no domicílio / The future of work after the COVID-19, the uncertain role of teleworking at home / El futuro del trabajo tras la COVID-19: el papel incierto del teletrabajo en el domicilio

Resumo Introdução: o teletrabalho no domicílio, uma das medidas adotadas para controlar a pandemia de COVID-19 e, ao mesmo tempo, manter o emprego, tem aumentado em vários países. Objetivo: refletir sobre o significado, a magnitude e as tendências do teletrabalho no domicílio, antes e durante a pandemia, enfatizando seus potenciais efeitos na saúde do trabalhador. Discussão: a precedente Convenção 177/1996 da Organização Internacional do Trabalho (OIT) sobre trabalho a domicílio e o acordo sobre teletrabalho entre agentes sociais na União Europeia, em 2002, apontam a dificuldade de regulamentar essa nova forma de organização do trabalho e da prevenção de possíveis lesões e doenças associadas, especialmente transtornos mentais e distúrbios musculoesqueléticos. São necessários estudos sobre os efeitos na saude dessa modalidade de trabalho para fornecer evidências científicas que embasarão normas em nível nacional e global. A inclusão de questões específicas e bem definidas, como as que a OIT propõe, em futuros levantamentos sobre as condições de trabalho, emprego e saúde poderá auxiliar tal objetivo e proporcionar uma oportunidade para observar os efeitos do teletrabalho no domicílio na saúde do trabalhador, bem como avaliar o impacto de uma necessária e urgente regulamentação.

Abstract Introduction: teleworking at home, one of the mitigation measures adopted to control the COVID-19 pandemic, while attempting to maintain employment, has increased in many countries. Objective: to reflect on the meaning, magnitude and trends of teleworking at home, before and during the pandemic, focusing on its potential effects on the health of workers. Discussion: the precedent of Convention 177/1996 of the International Labour Organization (ILO) on home work, and the agreement on teleworking between social agents in the European Union of 2002, underscore the difficulties of regulating this new form of work organization, and the prevention of possible injuries and associated diseases, especially mental and musculoskeletal disorders. The investigation of its effects on health is a priority to base its regulation at the national and global level on scientific evidence. The incorporation of specific, well-defined questions, such as those proposed by the ILO, in questionnaires of future surveys on working conditions, employment and health may help in this objective and provide an opportunity to monitor the effects on health of teleworking at home, as well as evaluating the impact of its necessary and urgent regulation.

Resumen Introducción: el teletrabajo en el domicilio, una de las medidas adoptadas para controlar la pandemia de COVID-19, y al mismo tiempo mantener el empleo, se ha incrementado en diversos países. Objetivos: reflexionar sobre el significado, la magnitud y las tendencias del teletrabajo en el domicilio, antes y durante la pandemia, focalizando en sus potenciales efectos sobre la salud de los trabajadores. Discusión: el antecedente del Convenio 177/1996 de la Organización Internacional del Trabajo (OIT) sobre trabajo a domicilio, y el acuerdo sobre teletrabajo entre agentes sociales en la Unión Europea de 2002, muestran la dificultad de regular esta nueva forma de organización del trabajo, y de la prevención de las posibles lesiones y enfermedades asociadas, especialmente los trastornos mentales y musculoesqueléticos. La investigación de sus efectos sobre la salud es una prioridad para fundamentar en evidencias científicas su regulación a nivel nacional y global. La incorporación de preguntas específicas, bien definidas, como las que propone la OIT, en cuestionarios de futuras encuestas sobre condiciones de trabajo, empleo y salud podrán ayudar en este objetivo y propiciar una oportunidad para monitorizar los efectos del teletrabajo en el domicilio sobre la salud, así como evaluar el impacto de su necesaria y urgente regulación.

Saúde do trabalhador no Equador: uma comparação com inquéritos sobre condições de trabalho na América Latina / Occupational health in Ecuador: a comparison with Latin-American surveys on working conditions / La salud ocupacional en Ecuador: una comparación con las encuestas sobre condiciones de trabajo en América Latina

Resumo Introdução: o Equador realizou recentemente seu primeiro inquérito sobre condições de trabalho. Objetivo: descrever as condições de trabalho e emprego e o estado de saúde dos trabalhadores equatorianos em uma amostra que permita comparação com inquéritos latino-americanos anteriores. Métodos: uma amostra de 1.713 trabalhadores foi selecionada do primeiro inquérito sobre condições de trabalho no Equador. Prevalências e intervalos de confiança de 95% (IC95%) foram calculados e comparados com inquéritos anteriores na Colômbia, Argentina, Chile, América Central e Uruguai. Resultados: homens foram frequentemente mais expostos a trabalho em condições perigosas, sendo as mais relatadas trabalho com ruído (81% dos homens e 69% das mulheres) e com movimentos repetitivos (56% dos homens e 48% das mulheres). Cerca de 31% dos homens e 19% das mulheres trabalhavam mais de 40 horas por semana. Quase 11% das mulheres e dos homens relataram uma autopercepção de saúde ruim. A prevalência de agravos ocupacionais foi a mais alta da região: 15% para homens e 8,4% para mulheres. Conclusão: este é um primeiro levantamento das condições de trabalho e emprego e do estado de saúde de trabalhadores no Equador. Harmonizar e aperfeiçoar os Inquéritos sobre Condições de Trabalho na América Latina deve ser uma meta prioritária para melhorar a vigilância em saúde do trabalhador na região.

Abstract Introduction: Ecuador has recently implemented its First Working Conditions Survey. Objective: to describe working and employment conditions and workers' health status in Ecuador in a sample that allows comparison with previous Latin American surveys. Methods: a sample of 1,713 workers was drawn from the First Working Conditions Survey in Ecuador. Prevalence and a 95% confidence Interval (95%CI) were calculated and compared with previous Latin American surveys in Colombia, Argentina, Chile, Central America, and Uruguay. Results: men were more often exposed to hazardous working conditions, with noise (81% of men and 69% of women), and repetitive movements (56% and 48%, respectively) being the most frequently reported. About 31% of men and 19% of women worked more than 40 hours per week. Almost 11% of both women and men reported poor self-perceived health status. The prevalence of occupational injury was the highest in the region: 15% for men and 8.4% for women. Conclusions: this is a first approach to the working and employment conditions and workers' health status in Ecuador. To harmonize and improve Working Conditions Surveys in Latin America should be a priority goal for enhancing regional occupational health surveillance.

Resumen Introducción: Ecuador ha realizado recientemente su primera encuesta sobre las condiciones de trabajo. Objetivo: describir las condiciones de trabajo y empleo y el estado de salud de los trabajadores en Ecuador en una muestra que permita la comparación con encuestas anteriores en América Latina. Métodos: se seleccionó una muestra de 1.713 trabajadores de la Primera Encuesta de Condiciones de Trabajo en el Ecuador. Se calculó la prevalencia y el intervalo de confianza del 95% (IC95%) y se comparó con las encuestas anteriores realizadas en América Latina - Colombia, Argentina, Chile, América Central y Uruguay. Resultados: hombres se exponen con mayor frecuencia a condiciones de trabajo peligrosas, siendo las más frecuentes el ruido (81% de los hombres y 69% de las mujeres) y los movimientos repetitivos (56% y 48%, respectivamente). Alrededor del 31% de los hombres y el 19% de las mujeres trabajan más de 40 horas por semana. Casi el 11% de las mujeres y de los hombres reportaron mala salud autopercibida. La prevalencia de lesiones ocupacionales fue la más alta de la región: el 15% para los hombres y el 8,4% para las mujeres. Conclusiones: este es un primer acercamiento a las condiciones de trabajo y empleo y al estado de salud de los trabajadores en el Ecuador. Armonizar y mejorar las Encuestas de Condiciones de Trabajo en América Latina debería ser un objetivo prioritario para mejorar la vigilancia de la salud ocupacional en esta región.

Notificación de accidentes de trabajo y posibles enfermedades profesionales en Ecuador, 2010-2015 / Notification of occupational accidents and possible occupational diseases in Ecuador, 2010-2015

OBJETIVO: Describir la evolución de notificaciones por accidentes de trabajo y posibles enfermedades profesionales en Ecuador para el período desde 2010 a 2015. MATERIALES Y MÉTODOS: Estudio descriptivo a partir de fuentes secundarias reportadas al Seguro General de Riesgos de Trabajo del Instituto Ecuatoriano de Seguridad Social; se emplean frecuencias absolutas (n) y relativas (%), así como el cálculo de la tasa de incidencia en relación con las variables de interés. RESULTADOS: Se evidencia un incremento considerable del número de casos notificados por accidentes de trabajo y posibles enfermedades profesionales; la tasa de incidencia por accidentes aumentó de 381,2 en 2010 a 775,0 en 2015; asimismo, para los casos de enfermedades de 6,0 en 2010 a 28,4 en 2015. CONCLUSIONES: El aumento de registros de accidentes de trabajo y posibles enfermedades profesionales al Seguro General de Riesgos de Trabajo podría deberse a la entrada en vigor de normativas sobre la obligatoriedad de notificación en 2010 y 2011. No obstante, se evidencia la falta de implantación de medidas preventivas en los centros de trabajo, lo que supone plantearse una nueva reformulación de las políticas nacionales en seguridad y salud en el trabajo.

OBJECTIVE: To describe the evolution of reports of occupational accidents and possible occupational diseases in Ecuador for the period from 2010 to 2015. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Descriptive study from secondary sources reported to the General Occupational Risk Insurance of the Ecuadorian Social Security Institute; Absolute (n) and relative frequencies (%) are used, as well as the calculation of the incidence rate in relation to the variables of interest. RESULTS: There is a considerable increase in the number of cases reported due to occupational accidents and possible occupational diseases; The incidence rate for accidents increased from 381.2 in 2010 to 775.0 in 2015; Likewise, for cases of diseases from 6.0 in 2010 to 28.4 in 2015. CONCLUSIONS: The increase of records of occupational accidents and possible occupational diseases to the General Insurance of Occupational Risks could be due to the regulations on the obligation of notification that became effective in 2010 and 2011. However, it is evident the lack of implantation Of preventive measures in the work centers, what supposes to consider a new reformulation of the national policies in security and health in the work.