Self-referred illnesses related to work in self-employed port workers

Abstract

This is a cross-sectional and descriptive research with a quantitative approach of the results, conducted in a sea port in the extreme south of Brazil. The aim of this paper is to identify, according to the perception of the self-employed port workers, the occurrence of health problems related to work. A structured interview was carried out with 306 workers. The results were presented through an analysis of proportions. The ethic precepts described in the Resolution 196/96 were followed. Data entry was performed using the EPINFO 4.6 d, making the calculation of the proportions in Statistical Package for the Social Sciences 16.0 (SPSS). Among the illnesses researched, osteoarticular and mental disorders were the most frequently found with 71.90% and 41.50%, respectively in the total of workers. Nursing work has preventive working tools capable of interacting in the issues which affect the workers, being essential the understanding of the working environment in order to use the adequate health promoting tools.