Characterization and general health conditions of workers in a Chilean industrial area: a worrying reality.

Introduction: Within the occupational field, changes in the characteristics of work have revealed risks associated with static, repetitive work and litle physical activity, which together with individual health conditions of workers can trigger diseases and musculoskeletal disorders. Objectives: To obtain a preliminary characterization of workers in an industrial area, including their health and working conditions. Methods: This is a cross-sectional study with a quantitative approach, developed with 69 men who worked in the industrial area of Viña del Mar, Chile. A clinical and occupational evaluation was carried out with the application of the International Physical Activity Questionnaire as well as the Standardized Nordic Questionnaire. Results: The following risk factors were identified: 53.6% of the workers were smokers, 92.8% presented low levels of physical activity, and 70.3% reported feeling pain in body segments that were physically required during their work tasks. Among all workers, 63% were overweight according to their body mass index and 62% presented high systolic pressure. Pain was mostly detected in the spine, and it was slightly associated with forklif operation by older workers (t-test p < 0.05). Conclusions: Workers were in the presence of cardiovascular and occupational risks. It is necessary to promote timely education and training on health conditions and to evaluate risks associated with machinery operation in order to prevent work-related pain.

Introdução: No âmbito ocupacional, as mudanças no estilo de trabalho têm mostrado riscos associados ao trabalho estático, repetitivo e à pouca atividade física, fatores que, somados às condições individuais de saúde dos trabalhadores, podem favorecer o aparecimento de doenças e distúrbios musculoesqueléticos. Objetivos: Obter uma caracterização preliminar dos trabalhadores da indústria, incluindo a saúde e as condições de trabalho. Métodos: Estudo transversal, com abordagem quantitativa, realizado com 69 homens que trabalham na indústria de Viña del Mar, Chile. Realizaram-se avaliação clínica e ocupacional e aplicaram-se o Questionário Internacional de Atividade Física juntamente com o Questionário Nórdico de Sintomas Osteomusculares. Resultados: Identificaram-se os seguintes fatores de risco: 53,6% dos trabalhadores era tabagista, 92,8% apresentava baixo nível de atividade física, 70,3% declarou sentir dor em segmentos corporais necessários à realização de tarefas do trabalho. Dos trabalhadores, 63% tinha sobrepeso, de acordo com o índice de massa corporal, e 62% apresentava pressão sistólica alta. As dores foram detectadas principalmente na coluna vertebral e estavam ligeiramente associadas à operação de empilhadeira por trabalhadores mais velhos (teste t p < 0,05). Conclusões: Os trabalhadores encontravam-se diante de riscos cardiovasculares e ocupacionais. É necessário promover educação e treinamento adequados em relação às condições de saúde e avaliar os riscos associados à operação de equipamentos, a fim de evitar dores relacionadas ao trabalho.

Desorden músculo esquelético en extremidad superior: valoración de riesgos e intervención en trabajadores del área industrial / Skeletal muscle disorder in the upper limb: risk assessment and intervention in workers in industrial area

Resumen: Los trabajadores del área industrial están expuestos a desórdenes músculo esqueléticos (DME). Objetivos: Evaluar los factores de riesgo de una actividad laboral valorando los efectos de una intervención sobre los trabajadores. Material y Métodos: Estudio experimental sobre 69 trabajadores varones. Se aplicó cuestionario nórdico y ortopedia, lista chequeo TMERT, OCRA y RULA. Se implementó aplicación móvil para capacitar a trabajadores en manejo de signos-síntomas sugerentes de DME. Resultados: Un 89,6% de los trabajadores presentó dolor. Factores de riesgo considerados por la lista de chequeo, fueron “alto”, “elevado” y “crítico” respectivamente para los puestos de trabajo examinados. Un 54,35% de los trabajadores utilizó la aplicación móvil. Evolución positiva fue en promedio un 40% para mano y hombro, 80% para compromiso bicipital y túnel carpiano y 100% de epicondilitis. Conclusiones: Se sugiere promover programas de intervención preventiva y profundizar estudio sobre efecto de pausas y rotación de puestos de trabajo (AU)

Objectives: Evaluate the risk of work activity evaluating the effects of an intervention on workers. Material and Methods: Experimental study on 69 male workers. Nordic and orthopedic questionnaire, TMERT, OCRA and RULA check list were applied. A mobile application was implemented to train workers in the management of signs and symptoms suggestive of musculoskeletal disorder. Results: 89.6% of the workers presented pain. Risk factors considered by the TMERT, OCRA, and RULA check list were “high”, “elevated”, and “critical” respectively for the jobs examined. 54.35% of the workers used the mobile application. Positive evolution was on average 40% for hand and shoulder, 80% for bicipital involvement and carpal tunnel and 100% for epicondylitis. Conclusions: It is suggested to promote preventive intervention programs and to deepen the study on the effect of breaks and job rotation (AU)

Uso de mapas conceptuales en Razonamiento Clínico como herramienta para favorecer el rendimiento académico / The Usage of Conceptual Maps in the Subject Clinical Reasoning as a Tool for Improving Academic Performance

Introducción: Las dificultades presentes en la educación en ciencias de la salud son experimentadas por docentes y estudiantes en las asignaturas disciplinares. Los profesores requieren entregar y evaluar gran volumen de contenidos y los alumnos deben asimilar estos rápidamente para obtener un adecuado rendimiento. Objetivo: Evaluar la efectividad de la creación de mapas conceptuales sobre el rendimiento, en la asignatura Razonamiento Clínico de la carrera de kinesiología de una universidad privada de la V región, Chile. Métodos: Estudio cuasi experimental, en el que participaron dos grupos: control y experimental. En el grupo experimental se aplicó la intervención con la incorporación de la herramienta de creación de mapas conceptuales en dos unidades temáticas. Se evaluó el rendimiento pre- y posintervención. La población de estudio estuvo constituida por dos grupos de estudiantes de Kinesiología (n = 55), que cursaron la asignatura Razonamiento Clínico del séptimo semestre, correspondiente al primer semestre de 2017 de la malla curricular en la carrera de kinesiología, en una universidad privada de la ciudad de la V región, Chile. Resultados: El rendimiento pre- y posintervención indicó una diferencia significativa en las calificaciones correspondientes a las unidades II y III en el grupo experimental (t-test pareado p < 0,0001). Al comparar el desempeño entre ambos grupos: control y experimental, este último obtuvo un promedio de notas significativamente superior al grupo control en las unidades II y III (t-test, p < 0,0001). La unidad I no presentó diferencias notables entre el grupo control con respecto al experimental (ANOVA/Bonferroni post hoc test, p > 0,05). Conclusiones: La estrategia de crear mapas conceptuales incrementa el rendimiento en la asignatura Razonamiento Crítico para abordar problemas clínicos. La creación de mapas conceptuales favorece el aprendizaje y permite identificar habilidades que denotan mayor dificultad en los estudiantes. Se propone la incorporación de estos mapas en formación sistemática como herramienta de enseñanza y evaluación(AU)

Introduction: The difficulties present in health sciences education are experienced by teachers and students in disciplinary subjects. Teachers need to deliver and evaluate large volumes of content and students must assimilate these quickly in order to obtain adequate performance. Objective: To evaluate the effectiveness of creating conceptual maps on performance, in the subject Clinical Reasoning of the Kinesiology major of a private university of the V Region, Chile. Methods: Quasiexperimental study with the participation of two groups, a control group and an experimental group. In the experimental group, the intervention was applied with the incorporation of the tool for creating conceptual maps in two thematic units. Pre- and post-intervention performance was evaluated. The study population consisted of two groups of students of Kinesiology (n=55), who attended the subject Clinical Reasoning of the seventh semester, corresponding to the first semester of 2017, of the curriculum in the Kinesiology major at a private university in the city of the V region, Chile. Results: The pre- and post-intervention performance indicated a significant difference in the qualifications corresponding to units II and III in the experimental group (paired t-test p<0.0001). When comparing the performance between both groups, control and experimental, the latter obtained an average of significantly higher scores than the control group in units II and III (t-test, p < 0.0001). Unit I did not show notable differences between the control group and the experimental group (ANOVA/Bonferroni post hoc test, p > 0.05). Conclusions: The strategy of creating conceptual maps increases the performance in the subject Critical Reasoning, for the addressing of clinical problems. The creation of conceptual maps favors learning and allows the identification of skills that denote greater difficulty in students. The incorporation of these maps in systematic training is proposed as a teaching and evaluation tool(AU)