Distúrbios osteomusculares relacionados ao trabalho em marisqueiras de uma comunidade de pescadores artesanais em Sergipe

Abstract

During an extension project focused on diagnosis and health care carried out in a community of artisanal carried out in a community of artisanal fishermen, whose female population mostly works or worked as shellfish harvesters/ artisanal fishermen, it was observed among the main complaints those related to musculoskeletal work-related musculoskeletal disorders. Objective: to analyze the impact of the work process and of the social relations of production on the illness, specifically on the Work-Related Musculoskeletal Disorders - WMSDs, of the shellfish gatherers of a community of artisanal fishermen. Methodology: this is an observational study, carried out by applying a specific questionnaire and the Brazilian version of QuickDASH to a sample of 25 fisherwomen from Mém de Sá Island, Sergipe, Brazil. Results: a prevalence of 88% of upper limb complaints was found, with a mean score of 41.66 in the QuickDASH questionnaire (SD= 20.73) among those with complaints. Musculoskeletal disorders were also the main cause of temporary absence from from work at the time of the interviews (71.42%). The daily work day ranged from 10 to 16h, divided in the phases of transportation, shellfish collection and processing. Conclusion: We can conclude that the musculoskeletal disorders evidenced in the sample imply great social and economic losses for this population, besides the great impact of the characteristics of the work on the disease. The exhaustive working hours evidenced, with repetitive activities that impose intense muscular overload, are important causes of Work-Related Musculoskeletal Disorders - WMSDs, which calls for public policies of assistance and protection for these workers