No abstract

The construction industry is known for its high rate of accidents. Among the different possible causes of this situation, we could find lack of sleep and fatigue. Chronic sleep deprivation is a determining factor in the deterioration of vigilance and alert, and consequently a risk factor for occupational accidents. Fatigue is the answer of our organism to sustained physical and mental stress. Regretfully, those topics have been ovelooked in the construction industry. The objective of this study is to understand better these phenomena, such as sleep duration and fatigue, and whether they are interrelated, and to propose strategies to mitigate them and contribute to the reduction of accidents in construction projects. We worked with 154 male construction workers from one Chilean construction company. To assess sleep quality, we used the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI). To evaluate fatigue, we used a personal computer version of the Psychomotor Vigilance Test (PC-PVT) that measures alertness and vigilance. This 5-minute test was performed on construction workers on-site in the morning. Those people who took part in the test were classified into various groups according to self-reported sleep hours, namely: 7–9 h (26%), 5–7 h (61.7%), and <5 h (12.3%). These results were compared for three variables (Mean Reaction Time (RT), 10% faster, and 10% slower) using an Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) test. Differences were found for Mean RT and Slowest 10%, the difference being greater in the group that reported sleeping <5 h, but without statistical significance. Studies with a greater number of subjects and measurements are required throughout the working day.

APIP, P.M.; GUZMAN, P.P. Lactancia materna: impacto de la consulta de apoyo a la madre que trabaja. Rev.latino-am.enfermagem, Ribeirão Preto, v. 6, n. 3, p. 61-70, julho 1998. INTRODUCCIÓNEl número de madres que interrumpe o disminuye su lactancia debido a la reincorporación a su trabajo es cada vez mayor. En Chile en el año 1990 el porcentaje de niños que reciben lactancia materna exclusiva (L.M.E.) a los cuatro meses de edad corresponde a un 44.1% y el porcentaje de lactancia materna parcial a los doce meses de vida corresponde a un 19.7%. La reinserción laboral de la mujer una vez finalizado el período de descanso postnatal, constituye una de las causas de mayor incidencia en la introducción precoz de alimentación complementaria al niño (SCHELLHORN & VALDÉS, 1995), con todos los costos negativos que ello tiene tanto para él como para su madre. En Chile las disposiciones legales que protegen directamente la lactancia materna son: (MINSAL, 1993). 1. Descanso post-natal. Correspondiente a doce semanas después de la fecha de parto. 2. Licencia para el cuidado del niño menor de un año en caso de enfermedad grave.3. Derecho a sala cuna (derechos a sala cuna para los niños menores de dos años). 4. Tiempo para alimentar (1 hora para alimentar al niño menor de dos años). 5. De acuerdo al artículo 192 del Código del Trabajo Chileno, corresponde a la Junta Nacional de Jardines Infantiles (JUNJI) y a la Dirección del Trabajo fiscalizar el cumplimiento de estas normas. Cualquier persona puede denunciar ante dichos organismos las infracciones de que tuviere conocimiento.Al revisar detenidamente la protección legal contenida en el Código del Trabajo Chileno se debe considerar lo siguiente: -El descanso post-natal es válido sólo para aquellas mujeres que tienen un contrato de trabajo y su previsión al día, quienes en Chile representan aproximadamente el 40% de la población femenina económicamente activa. -Se ha constatado que las madres que no cuentan con este derecho, abandonan precozmente su lactancia para continuar trabajando y poder percibir sus ingresos

The construction industry is known by its high rate of accidents. Among the different possible causes of this situation we could find lack of sleep and fatigue. Chronic sleep deprivation is a determining factor in the deterioration of vigilance and alert, and consequently a risk factor for occupational accidents. Fatigue is the answer of our organism to sustained physical and mental effort. Construction workers are prone to fatigue, since their work is characterized by heavy lifting and awkward work postures, so it is relevant to study it more thoroughly, especially regarding its association with sleep efficiency and quality. Regretfully, those topics have been very poorly studied in the construction industry. To understand better these phenomena and to propose strategies to mitigate it and contribute to the reduction of accidents in construction projects, the objective of this study was to understand if there is a relation among sleep duration and fatigue. We worked with 154 male construction workers from one Chilean construction company. To asses sleep quality we used the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index. One of their questions asked for average sleep hours in the last 4 weeks. To evaluate fatigue, we used a personal computer version of the Psychomotor Vigilance Test (PC-PVT) that measure alertness and vigilance. This 5-minute test was performed by construction workers on site in the morning. People was classified into groups according to self-reported sleep hours, namely: 7-9 hours (26%), 5-7 hours (61.7%) and <5 hours (12.3%). These results were compared for 3 variables (Mean Reaction Time, 10% faster and 10% slower) using an ANOVA test. Differences were found for Mean RT and Slowest10%, the difference being greater in the group that reported sleeping <5 hours, but without statistical significance. Studies with a greater number of subjects and measurements are required throughout the working day.

The ocjective of this research is to know the perception of effectiveness of the Self Care Nursing Program un adults with sleep disorders treated in the Medical Sleep Center of the Catholic University of Chile (CEMS) between 1999 and 2000, in in Santiago de Chile. It is a descriptive, exploratory, retrospective study, with a sample of 25 adults, constituted in a 72% by women, 52% of people has between 20 and 39 years, 78% classify in a high and medium-high socio-economic level, the 100% have complete high school education, and the most frequently sleep problem is the conciliation insomnia. More of  80%  consumes sleeping pills, 85% of them refers to have disminished the doses during and after attending the Self-Care Nursing Program. 84% of the interviewed people at the moment uses some of the learned techniques: 36% sleep hygiene, 12% relaxation and imaginary and 36% both. 80% perceived as benefits of the nursing program the improvement in the quality of the sleep and a sensation of serenity and tranquillity in their daily live, by that is better quality of life.Key Words: Sleep, Mental Healt.