Abstract

REINHARDT, Érica Lui  and  FISCHER, Frida Marina. Barriers to interventions aimed at promoting the health of health care workers in Brazil. Rev Panam Salud Publica [online]. 2009, vol.25, n.5, pp. 411-417. ISSN 1020-4989.  http://dx.doi.org/10.1590/S1020-49892009000500005.

OBJECTIVE: To search the literature for circumstances that impede injury and disease prevention and other activities intended to improve the health of the health care worker. METHODS: The SciELO database was searched for articles published in 1967-2008. This was supplemented by a PubMed search for the period 1950-2008. The following key words were used to identify articles in English, Portuguese, and Spanish: work, health personnel, occupational, risks, diseases, ergonomics, work ability, quality of life, organization, accidents, work conditions, intervention, and administration. Articles on injury and disease prevention and occupational health in a health care setting in Latin America were selected, along with articles focused on health promotion in the health sector. RESULTS: The following shortcomings were identified: activities lacked a sound theoretical foundation and were not integrated with the health services management; a failure to evaluate the effectiveness of the activity; health surveillance focused solely on a specific disease or injury; management not committed to the proposed activity; miscommunication; inability of workers to participate, or control the work environment; and, programs or efforts that were limited to changing the workers' behaviors. CONCLUSIONS:   The literature shows that all the barriers identified by this study affect both the health care workers' health as well as their productivity.

Keywords : Review; health care sector; occupational health; health personnel; Brazil.