Potential health risks of waste pickers / Riscos potenciais à saúde de catadores de materiais recicláveis

Waste pickers have an important role in contributing to the growth and development environment. Analyzing their perceptionson issues that relate to health is necessary since their representations determine positive or negative attitudesagainst their health and quality of life. The study aimed to analyze risk factors related to the health of waste pickers. Thisis a qualitative study, descriptive and exploratory, conducted in 2013 with 10 pickers, of both genders, in a cooperative inJequié-BA. Data were generated through semi-structured interviews and analyzed using the technique of Thematic ContentAnalysis Categorical. Emerged three categories: perception of recyclable material collectors on the disease process, perceptionsabout work accidents, and health risks related to their activity. Results indicate that collectors perceive health as anecessary tool to get work as a requirement to generate livelihood. In the exercise of the activity there was noted physicalrisks, chemical, biological, ergonomic, and work accident. The risks were seen as a condition of return for subsistence.Public policies in education and health need to be reviewed and appropriate to the reality of this population, influencingthe management of their health care.(AU)

Catadores de material reciclável possuem um papel importante, contribuindo com o crescimento e desenvolvimento ambiental.Analisar sua percepção sobre aspectos que se relacionam à saúde é necessário, uma vez que suas representaçõesdeterminarão atitudes positivas ou negativas diante a sua saúde e qualidade de vida. O estudo teve como objetivo analisarfatores de risco relacionados à saúde dos catadores de materiais recicláveis. Trata-se de um estudo qualitativo, descritivo eexploratório, realizado em 2013 com 10 catadores, de ambos os sexos, em uma cooperativa no município de Jequié-BA.Os dados foram produzidos através da entrevista semiestruturada e analisados a partir da Técnica de Análise de ConteúdoTemática Categorial. Emergiram 3 categorias: percepção dos catadores de material reciclável sobre o processo saúde-doença;percepções sobre acidentes de trabalho; riscos a saúde relacionados à sua atividade. Resultados apontam que catadorespercebem a saúde como ferramenta necessária para obter trabalho à medida que a condiciona e gera subsistência. Noexercício da atividade verificaram-se riscos físicos, químicos, biológicos, ergonômicos, e, de acidente de trabalho. Os riscosforam encarados como condição de troca pela subsistência. Políticas públicas de educação e saúde precisam ser revistase adequadas à realidade desta população, influenciando na gestão dos cuidados à sua saúde.(AU)

Social representations of adolescents on quality of life: structurally-based study.

This study sought to conduct a comparatively analysis and describe the contents of the structure of the social representations of adolescents on quality of life. It involves descriptive, quantitative research, with the benchmark of a structural approach to social representations. The informants included 316 adolescents from three public schools in Jequié in the State of Bahia. The Spontaneous Word-Choice Eliciting Technique using the key expression "Quality of Life" was used for data collection. The responses were processed using Evoc 2003 software, which generated the Four-House Chart. The results reveal the core nucleus of the terms: healthy eating; physical activity; money; and sex. In the 1st outer circle, the words absence of disease, condoms, liberty, marijuana, housing, work and living well are featured. In the 2nd outer circle, there appeared the words difficulty, family, peace and power, and the contrasting elements of well-being and soccer. The overall consensus is that adolescents associate quality of life with sports and other healthy behavior activities, and are influenced by the desires and curiosities of adolescence.

[Association between psychosocial aspects of work and quality of life among motorcycle taxi drivers]. / Associação entre aspectos psicossociais do trabalho e qualidade de vida de mototaxistas.

This study aimed to evaluate the quality of life of motorcycle taxi drivers and the association with psychosocial characteristics of their work. This was a cross-sectional epidemiological study with a sample of 400 motorcycle taxi drivers in Jequié, Bahia State, Brazil. The study used a form containing demographic and socioeconomic data, WHO Quality of Life-Bref Questionnaire (WHOQOL-Bref), and the Job Content Questionnaire (JCQ). Motorcycle taxi drivers with greater decision-making control over their work showed better self-rated quality of life in the psychological domain; those with high psychological demands presented better self-rated quality of life in the social relations and environmental domains; those with high strain and active work showed better self-rated quality of life in the social and environmental domains. The psychosocial work environment and especially decision-making autonomy were thus important determinants of self-rated quality of life in this group of motorcycle taxi drivers.

Associação entre aspectos psicossociais do trabalho e qualidade de vida de mototaxistas / Association between psychosocial aspects of work and quality of life among motorcycle taxi drivers / Asociación entre aspectos psicosociales del trabajo y calidad de vida de mototaxistas

Este estudo objetivou avaliar a qualidade de vida de mototaxistas e sua relação com os aspectos psicossociais do trabalho. Estudo epidemiológico, transversal, realizado com 400 mototaxistas do Município de Jequié, Bahia, Brasil. Utilizou-se um formulário contendo dados sociodemográficos, o WHO Quality of Life-Bref Questionnaire (WHOQOL-Bref) e o Job Content Questionnaire (JCQ). Os resultados evidenciaram que mototaxistas com alto controle sobre o trabalho apresentaram melhor percepção de qualidade de vida no domínio psicológico; os que possuem alta demanda psicológica apresentaram melhor percepção de qualidade de vida nos domínios relações sociais e meio ambiente; aqueles com alta exigência e com trabalho ativo apresentaram melhor percepção de qualidade de vida nos domínios relações sociais e meio ambiente. Assim, o ambiente psicossocial do trabalho, e, especialmente, o controle sobre o trabalho, são importantes determinantes da percepção da qualidade de vida dos mototaxistas.

This study aimed to evaluate the quality of life of motorcycle taxi drivers and the association with psychosocial characteristics of their work. This was a cross-sectional epidemiological study with a sample of 400 motorcycle taxi drivers in Jequié, Bahia State, Brazil. The study used a form containing demographic and socioeconomic data, WHO Quality of Life-Bref Questionnaire (WHOQOL-Bref), and the Job Content Questionnaire (JCQ). Motorcycle taxi drivers with greater decision-making control over their work showed better self-rated quality of life in the psychological domain; those with high psychological demands presented better self-rated quality of life in the social relations and environmental domains; those with high strain and active work showed better self-rated quality of life in the social and environmental domains. The psychosocial work environment and especially decision-making autonomy were thus important determinants of self-rated quality of life in this group of motorcycle taxi drivers.

Este estudio tuvo como objetivo evaluar la calidad de vida de los mototaxistas y su relación con los aspectos psicosociales del trabajo. Estudio epidemiológico, transversal, realizado con 400 mototaxistas del municipio de Jequié, Bahía, Brasil. Se utilizó un formulario con datos sociodemográficos, el WHO Quality of Life-Bref Questionnaire (WHOQOL-Bref) y el Job Content Questionnaire (JCQ). Los resultados evidenciaron que los mototaxistas con un alto control de trabajo presentaron mejor percepción de la calidad de vida en el dominio psicológico; aquellos con una alta demanda psicológica tuvieron mejor percepción de calidad de vida en los dominios de relaciones sociales y el medio ambiente; aquellos con alta exigencia y trabajo activo mostraron mejor percepción de la calidad de vida en los dominios de relaciones sociales y medio ambiente. Así, el ambiente psicosocial del trabajo y, especialmente, el control sobre el trabajo son determinantes importantes para la percepción de la calidad de vida de los mototaxistas.

Social representations of adolescents on quality of life: structurally-based study / Representações Sociais de adolescentes sobre qualidade de vida: um estudo de base estrutural

This study sought to conduct a comparatively analysis and describe the contents of the structure of the social representations of adolescents on quality of life. It involves descriptive, quantitative research, with the benchmark of a structural approach to social representations. The informants included 316 adolescents from three public schools in Jequié in the State of Bahia. The Spontaneous Word-Choice Eliciting Technique using the key expression "Quality of Life" was used for data collection. The responses were processed using Evoc 2003 software, which generated the Four-House Chart. The results reveal the core nucleus of the terms: healthy eating; physical activity; money; and sex. In the 1st outer circle, the words absence of disease, condoms, liberty, marijuana, housing, work and living well are featured. In the 2nd outer circle, there appeared the words difficulty, family, peace and power, and the contrasting elements of well-being and soccer. The overall consensus is that adolescents associate quality of life with sports and other healthy behavior activities, and are influenced by the desires and curiosities of adolescence.

Este estudo objetivou descrever os conteúdos e analisar comparativamente a estrutura das representações sociais de adolescentes sobre qualidade de vida. Trata-se de uma pesquisa descritiva, quantitativa, com referencial na abordagem estrutural das Representações Sociais. Foram informantes 316 adolescentes de 3 escolas públicas de Jequié (BA), sendo utilizada para coleta de dados a Técnica de Evocação Livre de Palavras, através do termo indutor "Qualidade de Vida". As evocações foram processadas pelo Evoc 2003, gerando o Quadro de Quatro Casas. Os resultados revelam no núcleo central os termos, alimentação saudável, atividade física, dinheiro e sexo; na 1ª periferia as palavras, ausência de doença, camisinha, liberdade, maconha, moradia, trabalho e viver bem; na 2ª periferia as evocações, dificuldade, família, paz e poder; e os elementos de contraste foram bem-estar e futebol. Compreendeu-se que os adolescentes associam qualidade de vida à prática desportiva e outros comportamentos saudáveis, estando influenciados pelos desejos e curiosidades da adolescência.