Salud de los trabajadores

Actividad física y su relación con los factores de riesgo cardiovascular de carteros chilenosAnálisis de resultados: riesgos psicosociales en el trabajo Suceso-Istas 21 en Cesfam QuellónAusentismo laboral por enfermedades oftalmológicas, Chile 2009Brote de diarreas por norovirus, posterremoto-tsunami, Constitución, Región del MauleCalidad de vida en profesionales de la salud pública chilenaCaracterización del reposo laboral en personal del SSMN durante el primer semestre de 2010Concentración de nicotina en pelo en trabajadores no fumadores expuestos a humo de tabaco ambientalCondiciones de trabajo y bienestar/malestar docente en profesores de enseñanza media de SantiagoDisfunción auditiva inducida por exposición a xilenoErgonomía aplicada al estudio del síndrome de dolor lumbar en el trabajoEstimación de la frecuencia de factores de riesgo cardiovascular en trabajadores de una empresa mineraExposición a plaguicidas inhibidores de la acetilcolinesterasa en Colombia, 2006-2009Factores de riesgo y daños de salud en conductores de una empresa peruana de transporte terrestre, 2009Las consecuencias de la cultura en salud y seguridad ocupacional en una empresa mineraPercepción de cambios en la práctica médica y estrategias de afrontamientoPercepción de la calidad de vida en la Universidad del BiobíoPesos máximos aceptables para tareas de levantamiento manual de carga en población laboral femeninaRiesgo coronario en trabajadores mineros según la función de Framingham adaptada para la población chilenaTrastornos emocionales y riesgo cardiovascular en trabajadores de la salu

The social meaning of medical professionalism El sentido social del profesionalismo médico

This essay looks into the meaning of today's professionalism and the apparent inconsistency between its growing status and a context of profound changes and dissatisfaction with medical practice. The cultural climate of our times is reviewed, as the framework for understanding changes in the social organization of medicine. One of the critical traits of professions has been their power to manage specialized knowledge under their own standards, without external control. The limits of this self regulation of expertise have faded, representing an important threat for professionalism. Together with the fundamental changes and tensions of work conditions for professionals, however, the appeal of professionalism is on the rise. Because of its ability to submit devastating individualism to collective interests, professionalism can contribute to the stability of social systems, as a third logic, between the market and public organizations. In medicine, professionalism as a value based system

A survey about physicians' professional satisfaction Percepción de cambios en la práctica médica y estrategias de afrontamiento

Background: A change in the social structure of medicine and its impact on clients has occurred in the last decades. Aim: To perform a survey about subjective wellbeing among physicians. Material and Methods: A physician's professional satisfaction survey consisting in 90 questions, was applied to 580 physicians (70% males), working in Metropolitan Santiago. Results: Physicians perceive changes in all the examined professional domains and approximately 50% of the changes are evaluated as negative. Change perception is a general phenomena among physicians, since there were no differences in relation to gender and only in few aspects with respect to age and medical specialty. There was a predominant positive attitude, based on the profession, to face changes. Conclusions: The positive evaluation of changes and the frequent use of managing strategies are associated with a higher satisfaction among physicians

The capacity of patients to make decisions in health: Attitude and meaning for physicians and lawyers Capacidad de los pacientes para tomar decisiones en salud. Actitud y significado para médicos y abogados

The objective of this article is to examine the attitudes of a group of physicians and lawyers that practice in Santiago, Chile toward the application of a protocol which evaluates the capacity of patients to make autonomous health decisions. The responses were grouped in four dimensions: assessment, feasibility, acceptance and usefulness. The Wilocoxon rank-sum test was applied to evaluate the distribution significance of value differences. The results revealed a globally positive assessment of lawyers and physicians to the pertinence and usefulness of standardization of procedures. The physicians emphasized the practical aspects and the lawyers, protection of patient autonomy and human rights. Consideration of the opinions of medical and legal actors is indispensable when a civic bioethics is founded in ethical dialogue

Capacidade dos pacientes para tomar decisões em saúde. Atitude e Significado para médicos e advogados

The objective of this article is to examine the attitudes of a group of physicians and lawyers that practice in Santiago, Chile toward the application of a protocol which evaluates the capacity of patients to make autonomous health decisions. The responses were grouped in four dimensions: assessment, feasibility, acceptance and usefulness. The Wilocoxon rank-sum test was applied to evaluate the distribution significance of value differences. The results revealed a globally positive assessment of lawyers and physicians to the pertinence and usefulness of standardization of procedures. The physicians emphasized the practical aspects and the lawyers, protection of patient autonomy and human rights. Consideration of the opinions of medical and legal actors is indispensable when a civic bioethics is founded in ethical dialogue.El objetivo es examinar las actitudes de un grupo de médicos y abogados que ejercen en Santiago de Chile hacia la aplicación de un protocolo que evalúa la capacidad de los pacientes para tomar decisiones autónomas en salud. Las respuestas se agruparon en cuatro dimensiones: valoración, factibilidad, aceptación y utilidad. Se aplicó la prueba de Wilocoxon rank-sum para evaluar la significación de la distribución de las diferencias valorativas. Los resultados revelan una valoración globalmente positiva de abogados y médicos respecto de la pertinencia y utilidad de estandarizar los procedimientos. Los médicos privilegian los aspectos prácticos y los abogados el resguardo de la autonomía de los pacientes y los derechos de las personas. La consideración de la opinión de los actores médicos y abogados resulta indispensable cuando una bioética cívica se fundamenta en la ética dialógica.O objetivo é examinar as atitudes de um grupo de médicos e advogados que atuam em Santiago do Chile sobre a aplicação de um protocolo que avalia a capacidade dos pacientes para tomar decisões autônomas em saúde. As respostas foram agrupadas em quatro dimensões: valoração, factibilidade, aceitação e utilidade. Aplicou-se a prova de Wilocoxon rank-sum para avaliar a significação da distribuição das diferenças valorativas. Os resultados revelam uma valoração globalmente positiva de advogados e médicos com respeito à pertinência e utilidade de padronizar os procedimentos. Os médicos privilegiam os aspectos práticos e os advogados o resguardo da autonomia dos pacientes e os direitos das pessoas. A consideração da opinião dos autores médicos e advogados resulta indispensável quando uma bioética cívica se fundamenta na ética dialógica

Generation and validation of a scale to measure physicians' wellbeing Validación de una escala para medir el bienestar subjetivo de los medicos (bisumed)

Background: The recent and ongoing changes in the structure and social organization of medicine have deeply transformed medical practice. Aim: To study the perception of these changes by physicians, the impact of these changes in their subjective wellbeing and their strategies of adjustment. Material and Methods: A scale, consisting of 54 items grouped in nine dimensions to measure physicians' subjective wellbeing was devised. It was applied to a random sample of 580 physicians residing in Metropolitan Santiago and affiliated to the Colegio Médico de Chile (the Chilean Medical Association). Results: The internal consistency analysis in the instrument showed a global Cronbach's alpha of 90 percent. Conclusions: These results support our methodological approach based on an initial qualitative identification of relevant topics in our local context, which afterwards were included as items in the scale to measure specific components of subjective wellbeing

Bioethical issues involved in the prescription of levonorgestrel Levonorgestrel: Aspectos bioéticos implicados en su indicación y proscripción

The use of levonorgestrel for emergency post coital contraception after rape, has raised strong and recurring discussions during 2004 and 2005 in Chile. The debate has been centered in its presumed post fertilization or anti implantation effect, that some consider an abortive action. There are no scientific evidences supporting this effect, with divergences about the ontological status of the embryo. Therefore, the use of levonorgestrel implies bioethical decisions that, in a democratic and pluralistic society, should be solved considering individual and collective responsibilities, conditions of equity and the informed autonomy of the affected women. Their moral values and their capacity to assume the consequences of an assault on their dignity, honor and self-esteem, in addition to physical and mental injuries, should also be considered (Rev Méd Chile 2005; 133: 841-6)

En referencia al plagio intelectual. Documento de la Comisión de Ética de la Facultad de Medicina de la Universidad de Chile

Plagiarism is defined as the intellectual fraud in which an individual attempts to unduly appropriate, for his/her own benefit, the knowledge, ideas or discoveries of someone else. It is not uncommon in academic settings where research is conducted and a creative work is carried out. Due to the dismal consequences of plagiarism, cautionary measures and sanctions are required to avoid it. This paper is intended to warn and promote a discussion about plagiarism. The Faculty of Medicine of the University of Chile and its ethics committee believe that a fight against these type of actions will contribute to prevent their detrimental effects on the moral and intellectual patrimony of our societ