Chronic Non-communicable Diseases in Health Care Workers: a Multidisciplinary Approach

<strong>Background:</strong> the rise of chronic non-communicable diseases requires urgent attention within the projections of the health system in order to contribute to the control and better management of the multiple risk factors that accompany them. <br /><strong>Objecti...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Teresa Rodríguez Rodríguez, Darianna María Muñiz Cabeza
Format: Article
Language:Spanish
Published: Universidad de las Ciencias Médicas de Cienfuegos 2014-10-01
Series:Revista Finlay
Subjects:
Online Access:http://revfinlay.sld.cu/index.php/finlay/article/view/279
Description
Summary:<strong>Background:</strong> the rise of chronic non-communicable diseases requires urgent attention within the projections of the health system in order to contribute to the control and better management of the multiple risk factors that accompany them. <br /><strong>Objective:</strong> to determine major chronic non-communicable diseases and risk factors in health care workers. <br /><strong>Methods:</strong> a correlational, case series study including workers of the Dr. Gustavo Aldereguía Lima University General Hospital in Cienfuegos was conducted from January 2009 through July 2012. A two-stage sampling design was used. The sample consisted of 187 subjects. Selected variables were: sex, age, occupation, educational level, chronic diseases, behavioural risk factors and emotional risk factors. <strong><br />Results:</strong> women (61 %) and subjects who completed studies beyond 12th grade (48.6 %) were more commonly affected by non-communicable diseases, as well as nurses (31 %) and physicians (27.8 %) in terms of occupation. Most frequent chronic diseases were hypertension (33.69 %), diabetes mellitus (19.78 %) and ischemic heart disease (13 %). Major emotional risk factors included: stress (79.82 %), followed by anxiety (64.16 %) and depression (35.29 %). Smoking predominated in 28.87 % of the subjects. <br /><strong>Conclusions:</strong> professionals, women and workers aged 40 to 50 years predominated. It was demonstrated that chronic conditions studied and risk factors are most common in women. Over 50 % of the workers suffer from chronic diseases. Risk factors are present in subjects both with and without chronic conditions.
ISSN:2221-2434