10ª Conferência EAOHP

Realizou-se na semana passada em Zurique com participação portuguesa.

A Dr. Cláudia Fernandes do CATIM, a Drª Anabela Pereira e Dr. Carlos Silva da Universidade de Aveiro apresentaram uma comunicação com o título e resumo seguinte:

Work (dis)Ability and Age: Trends and Perspectives from the Industry

There are a growing number of aging workers in the manufacturing industries all across Europe due to the increase of the aging index and the decrease of the global birth rate. This global context in tandem with socio-economic trends leads to significative changes in the concept and context of work. Emerging factors, until the moment inexistent, less studied or unknown are now risk factors for the decrease of work ability (WA) within the active population. WA is a dynamic and individual characteristic that has been systematically and negatively correlated with age, but systematically and positively correlated with quality of work-life, productivity, healthy workplaces and general well-being. Maintaining and promoting WA is therefore an imperative for countries/regions/organizations that want to maintain a productive, healthy and satisfied workforce.

With the present paper we intent to present and discuss a research in progress project that aims to evaluate WA and design Interventions for Maintaining and Promoting WA (IMPWA) in the Metal Working Sector in Portugal. The project will allow to detail and explore: a) the WA profile of Portuguese Metal Workers; b) The role of these data for the design and implementation of sectorial interventions; c) The role of these data for the design of in-site interventions; d) The role of neuropsychological stimulation packs to the maintenance and enhancement of workers WA; e) General principles for the design of IMPWA; f) Test interventions on organizational settings. Some of the questions raised and studied within the project scope are: 1) what factors contribute the most to the decrease of WA? 2) what activities to IMPWA are cost effective? 3) why implement IMPWA? 4) how to design IMPWA? 5) what’s the role of the workers as individuals in the process of IMPWA?