RESUMO
BACKGROUND: Workers holding intermediate hierarchical positions in an institution may have a higher risk of occupational stress-related, ill health. This study examined the prevalence rates and odds ratios (ORs) of anxiety disorders among a hierarchical group of firefighters. METHODS: This cross-sectional study samples firefighters from Minas Gerais, Brazil, who answered a structured questionnaire in 2011 (survey completion rate = 89.5%). The outcome of interest was a medical diagnosis of anxiety disorder. Bivariate and multivariate analyses were conducted among five hierarchical occupational positions: privates (lowest position), corporals, sergeants (intermediate position), sub lieutenants, and officers (highest position). RESULTS: Overall, 8.4% of the sample reported an anxiety disorder, with the highest rate observed among intermediate workers (sergeants = 14.2%), followed by corporals (10%), privates (5.6%), sub lieutenants (5%), and officers (2.1%). Compared with privates, the unadjusted OR for sergeants was 2.49 (95% confidence interval, 1.35, 4.58). This finding remained statistically significant after adjustment for several control variables but was eliminated by age. CONCLUSION: The mental health of firefighters is affected by social class position. Mental health promotion efforts should focus on longitudinal research and work toward interventions aimed at modifying the hierarchical structure of workplaces.
Assuntos
Transtornos de Ansiedade/epidemiologia , Bombeiros/psicologia , Doenças Profissionais/epidemiologia , Adulto , Brasil/epidemiologia , Estudos Transversais , Inquéritos Epidemiológicos , Humanos , Masculino , Pessoa de Meia-Idade , Análise Multivariada , Saúde Ocupacional , Estresse Ocupacional , Prevalência , Fatores de Risco , Classe Social , Adulto JovemRESUMO
In 1999, newly-elected Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez initiated a far-reaching social movement as part of a political project known as the Bolivarian Revolution. Inspired by the democratic ideologies of Simón Bolívar, this movement was committed to reducing intractable inequalities that defined Venezuela's Fourth Republic (1958-1998). Given the ambitious scope of these reforms, Venezuela serves as an instructive example to understand the political context of social inequalities and population health. In this article, we provide a brief overview of the impact of egalitarian policies in Venezuela, stressing: (a) the socialist reforms and social class changes initiated by the Bolivarian Movement; (b) the impact of these reforms and changes on poverty and social determinants of health; (c) the sustainability of economic growth to continue pro-poor policies; and (d) the implications of egalitarian policies for other Latin American countries. The significance and implications of Chávez's achievements are now further underscored given his recent passing, leading one to ask whether political support for Bolivarianism will continue without its revolutionary leader.