HEALTH EDUCATION CAMPAIGN ON BACK PROBLEMS IN HOTEL AND RESTAURANT
WORKERS.
Background.
The tasks carried out by hotel and restaurant
workers entail postures and physical effort which have traditionally
been associated with an increased risk of back problems. A
typical example is that of chambermaids, who because of their
work, each day make numerous beds and perform bending movements
involving stress. According to the ergonomic studies made,
the systematic application of norms of healthy posture in
the workplace can reduce the stress these tasks entail for
the back and diminish the risk of painful episodes.
On the other hand, studies have shown that certain widely
held beliefs about the back are mistaken, such as the belief
that identifies pain with structural injury of the spine and
the recommendation of bed rest as treatment. Furthermore,
these beliefs have been shown to generate harmful consequences
for the back's health and increase the risk that the pain
returns, lasts longer and becomes chronic. Some of these consequences
are the excess of rest, the loss of strength, resistance and
coordination of the muscles, fear and avoidance behaviors
and catastrophic attitudes towards the pain.
For that reason it is necessary to design prevention campaigns
for hotel and restaurant workers that combine both aspects,
encouraging the application of the norms of healthy posture
and eliminating mistaken beliefs, replacing them with concepts
recommended by modern scientific knowledge.
Objective.
To carry out a prevention and recovery campaign
for back problems among hotel and restaurant workers in order
to assess the viability of its broader application.
Description.
A health education program centered on prevention
and recovery from back problems was carried out in several
hotels in Mallorca. All of the workers of the hotels who attended
the lectures voluntarily were included.
The lectures included concepts of healthy posture and the
usefulness of having an active attitude towards the pain should
it appear. The Kovacs Foundation "Back Guide" (centered
on the norms of good posture) and the "Back Manual"(centered
on the active handling of pain and the value of avoiding bed
rest) were handed out to the audience.
Along with the Kovacs Foundation, the following
have participated in this project.
The Department of Work and Training, the Institute of Occupational
Health of the Balearic Islands (ISLIB) and the Confederation
of Business Associations of Baleares (CAEB).
It was co-funded by the Kovacs Foundation and the CAEB.
Status and results.
The program was carried out during the year 2003 and was
applied in 16 hotels in Mallorca with a total of 841 workers.
Of them, 231 (27.46%) attended the lectures.
A total of 27 lectures and practical workshops were organized
for the prevention of occupational risks of back ailments.
While the satisfaction rate among the participants was high,
the low percentage of participation, probably due to the work
rhythm in the hotel and restaurant sector, questions the possibility
of extending the application of this campaign.
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