Estimación del envejecimiento en población laboral y relación con salud psicofísica y condiciones de trabajo / Estimation of aging in the working population and relationship with psychophysical health and working conditions

Introducción:El envejecimiento de la población conlleva una mayor prevalencia de trabajadores con patología psicofísica y cognitiva con riesgo de fragilidad.Objetivo:Estimar la relación entre envejecimiento asociado a la edad en hombres y mujeres, y la salud psicofísica, emocional y deterioro cognitivo en población laboral y su repercusión según tipo de trabajo y turnicidad.Material y Método:Estudio transversal en 389 trabajadores. Se valora <50 y ≥50 años con prensión manual, circunferencia del gemelo, Fragilidad-Frail, depresión-Beck, Ansiedad-Estado-Rasgo y deterioro cognitivo-Pfeiffer y la influencia del tipo de trabajo y turnicidad.Resultados:Existe mayor fragilidad-Frail en hombres ≥ 50 años (p<0,05). El resto de variables relacionadas con estado físico, emocional y cognitivo no muestra diferencias por edad, ni con el tipo de trabajo y turnicidad (p>0,05).Conclusiones:La fragilidad estimada con el cuestionario de Frail muestra los resultados más precoces de fragilidad en hombres ≥ 50 años. (AU)

Introduction:The aging of the population leads to a higher prevalence of workers with psychophysical and cognitive pathologies at risk of frailty.Objective:To estimate the relationship between age-associated aging in men and women and psychophysical, emotional health, and cognitive impairment in the working population and its impact according to the type of work and shift work.Material and Method:Cross-sectional study with 389 workers. We assessed individuals aged <50 and ≥50 years using handgrip strength, calf circumference, Frailty-Frail assessment, Beck Depression Inventory for depression, State-Trait Anxiety Inventory for anxiety, and Pfeiffer test for cognitive impairment, while also considering the influence of the type of work and shift work.Results:There is a higher prevalence of frailty in men aged ≥50 years (p<0.05). The rest of the variables related to physical, emotional, and cognitive status do not show significant differences based on age, type of work, or shift work (p>0.05).Conclusions:Frailty, as assessed by the Frail questionnaire, reveals the earliest signs of frailty in men aged ≥50 years. (AU)

Association Between the "COVID-19 Occupational Vulnerability Index" and COVID-19 Severity and Sequelae Among Hospital Employees.

OBJECTIVES: In addition to personal and health related factors, healthcare workers have an increased risk due to their work. We assessed the association of the score of the Occupational Vulnerability Index with the risk of suffering a severe COVID-19 and sequelae. METHODS: Retrospective observational study carried out in healthcare workers. Among 119 employees infected, the COVID-19 Occupational Vulnerability Index (composed of 29 items regarding personal health, working conditions, and ability to comply with preventive measures) was calculated and correlated with COVID-19 severity/sequelae. RESULTS: Workers with higher scores (six to seven points) had a significantly increased risk of developing severe disease (OR = 9.73; 95% CI, 1.53 to 35.56) and clinical sequelae (OR = 5.22; 95% CI, 1.80 to 15.16) than those with lower scores (0 to 3). CONCLUSION: The "COVID-19 Occupational Vulnerability Index" may predict the risk of severe COVID-19 disease and clinical sequelae among healthcare workers.

Criterios de vulnerabilidad frente a infección Covid-19 en trabajadores / Vulnerability criteria for Covid-19 infection in workers

La enfermedad COVID-19 que surgió en Wuhan, China, y se extendió por todo el mundo, es una infección viral de elevada transmisibilidad causada por el coronavirus SARS-CoV-2. Existe un interés creciente en el campo de la salud pública en identificar factores pronósticos, tanto clínicos como paraclínicos, que permitan estratificar el riesgo de los pacientes y, dentro de estos factores, es necesario contemplar variables sociodemográficas, clínicas y laborales. En ámbito laboral interesa destacar la vulnerabilidad del trabajador frente a la infección, esto es, la probabilidad de ser afectado por el virus con riesgo superior al normal y con consecuencias más graves, ya sea como resultado de la susceptibilidad mayor a los efectos del virus, o por un nivel de exposición superior a la media. La Organización Mundial de la Salud nos anima a pensar de manera innovadora y la promoción de la salud y prevención de riesgos puede liderar esta actividad dentro del ámbito de salud pública, obteniendo información precisa y oportuna para prepararse y reducir el riesgo en las personas afectadas, sus familias y su comunidad. Dada la complejidad de este tema y los distintos aspectos que se han de tener en cuenta para calificar a un trabajador como vulnerable frente a esta infección pandémica, se considera de utilidad incluir en la valoración: aspectos personales de la persona que trabaja, enfermedades previas y su grado de control, aspectos laborales y las opciones de gestión preventiva de las empresas. El resultado de esta combinación de factores nos permitirá cuantificar la vulnerabilidad individual y orientar las actuaciones preventivas posteriores en el mundo del trabajo

COVID-19 disease, which emerged in Wuhan, China and spread worldwide, is a highly contagious viral infection caused by the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus. There is a growing interest in the field of public health in identifying prognostic factors, both clinical and paraclinical, that allow the risk of patients to be stratified and, within these factors, it is necessary to consider sociodemographic, clinical and occupational variables. In the work environment, it is important to highlight the worker's vulnerability to infection, that is, the probability of being affected by the virus with a higher than normal risk and with more serious consequences, either as a result of greater susceptibility to the effects of the virus, or because of a higher than average level of exposure. The World Health Organization encourages us to think innovatively, and health promotion and risk prevention can lead this activity within the public health field, obtaining accurate and timely information to prepare and reduce risk in affected individuals, their families and their community. Given the complexity of this issue and the different aspects that have to be taken into account to qualify a worker as vulnerable to this pandemic infection, it is considered useful to include in the assessment: personal aspects of the person working, previous illnesses and their degree of control, labour aspects and the preventive management options of the companies. The result of this combination of factors will allow us to quantify individual vulnerability and guide subsequent preventive actions in the world of work

Acupuncture treatment of shoulder impingement syndrome: A randomized controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: Shoulder pain or omalgia is one of the main types of osteoarticular pain that can be observed in every-day clinical practice, frequently causing significant functional impairment. The most common cause of shoulder pain is impingement syndrome. OBJECTIVE: To decrease the intensity of short- and mid-term pain in the injured shoulder by means of acupuncture. METHOD: Randomized controlled trial with two groups of participants: one group received true acupuncture (TA) and the other received acupuncture at sham points (SA). The treatment was carried out over 4 weeks, with the participants receiving a session every week. The results were measured immediately after the treatment (T1) and 3 months later (T2). To evaluate the results, we used the 100 mm Visual Analogue Scale (VAS), and to assess the functionality of the shoulder we employed the UCLA questionnaire (0-35 points). RESULTS: A total of 68 participants were included in the analysis (TA, n=35; SA, n=33), with a mean age of 33.4 years (SD 12.53). We found significant differences in the analyzed results between the two groups, as we observed a decrease on the intensity of pain for the TA group of 44.13 mm at T1 (CI 95% 36.7; 51.5) and 87.58 mm at T2 (CI 95% 28.32; 46.81), while the decrease in the FA group was of 19.84 mm at T1 (CI 95% 12.2; 27.4) and 20 mm at T2 (CI 95% 10.9; 29.09). When the UCLA scores were analyzed, the results were clinically meaningful in support of TA in terms of functional assessment of the shoulder. No adverse effects were reported. CONCLUSIONS: The use of acupuncture to treat impingement syndrome seems to be a safe and reliable technique to achieve clinically significant results and could be implemented in the therapy options offered by the health services.