Abstract

ARANDA BELTRAN, Carolina et al. Sociodemographic and labor variables as related to clinical manifestations in traffic officers, Mexico . Rev. costarric. salud pública [online]. 2008, vol.17, n.33, pp.32-39. ISSN 1409-1429.

Currently millions of workers perform their work under unsafe conditions. Statistics indicate that occupational diseases are increasing day to day. A labor disease is any pathological condition resulting from the continuous action of a cause that has its origin or motive at work. The objetive of this study was to determine the relationship betweeen sociodemographic and labor variables and clinical manifestations in men and women traffic officers in Mexico. A crosssectional study was undertaken. The participant population was made up of 801 men and 73 women. A questionnaire was applied which included sociodemographics, health, and labor topics. 32,9% of women stated that they had suffered some discomfort and/or illness, versus 33,7% of the men. There was a significant association between sociodemographic and labor variables and cardiovascular, metabolic and musculoskeletal diseases, mainly in men. In addition there was an association between health/disease variables and upper respiratory and gastrointestinal diseases. This study concludes that that some psychosocial factors are associated to the development of some diseases and that work under unsafe conditions may be a negative determining factor on worker health.

Keywords : sociodemographic variables; traffic officers; Mexico.

        · abstract in Spanish     · text in Spanish     · Spanish ( pdf )