Caracterización socio-laboral y de aseguramiento en salud de dos grupos de trabajadores cesantes de Medellín-Colombia 2004 y 2007

Abstract

Analyzing the socio-occupational and health insurance for two groups of workers who lost their job in the city of Medellin, Colombia in two periods (2004 and 2007), in order to help design alternative public policies that effectively confront the problem of vulnerability in health of unemployed workers and their families. Based on primary information, collected through the same instrument applied to two independent samples of workers who lost their job in the city of Medellin in 2004 (n = 267) and 2007 (n = 198), a descriptive cross-sectional study was made using quantitative research techniques of univariate and bivariate analysis. In both 2004 and 2007 studies the possibility that unemployed workers remain without health insurance was largely associated to variables of sex, age, education, socioeconomic status, occupational status, salary level and duration of unemployment. Their willingness to access to micro credit resources or a micro insurance, proposed to the municipal government as public policies to maintain their membership as contributors to the contributory regime, was highly favorable in both groups. The socio-occupational profile of unemployed workers keeps correspondence in both groups, although there are significant differences in the conditions of health insurance. We conclude that the vulnerability of unemployed workers excluded from the health insurance demands of society and State alternative public policies for their protection.