Abstract
Introduction:The attention to workers’ health is fundamental not only considering economical aspects (reducing absenteeism) but also for guaranteeing their quality of life.Objectives:To verify whether integrative medicine practices are effective for workers in private companies.Methods:Data were obtained from medical records of the acupuncture service of Irmandade da Santa Casa de Misericórdia de Piracicaba, in the state of São Paulo, Brazil. This is a descriptive study that evaluated the effectiveness of invasive and non-invasive integrative medicine practices in workers’ health through the use of the visual numeric scale for measuring pain, as well as independent variables (sex, age, types of physical and emotional complaints). Our sample consisted of 259 workers in 14 companies. Results were statistically evaluated using a Student’s t-test and a significance level of p = 0.05.Results:Most of the patients that sought integrative medicine services were women (73%), with a mean age of 38 years. The mean visual numeric scale value for workers that had physical pain complaints at the first session was 4.96, while that at the final session was 1.38; this reduction was significant (p < 0.0001). Emotional symptoms showed a visual numeric scale reduction of 5.18 to 1.90 (p < 0.0001). Regardless of the practice type (invasive or non-invasive), we observed a reduction in visual numeric scale values over integrative medicine sessions, although invasive therapies resulted in a stronger reduction than non-invasive ones (p < 0.0001).Conclusions:Overall, integrative medicine practices had a positive impact on workers’ health, reducing physical and emotional pain.
Highlights
Since the end of the 20th century, numerous actions taken by the different classes of workers have contributed to changes in public policies for workers’ health at all levels
The use of integrative and complementary practices has significantly increased within the Brazilian Unified Health System (SUS) as a form of treatment and health care in a holistic and responsible manner, after two ministerial administrative rulings in 2006 and 20185,6 and the institution of the National Policy of Integrative and Complementary Practices (Política Nacional de Práticas Integrativas e Complementares [PNPIC])
Considering that integrative medicine practices may contribute to maintaining and recovering the physical and emotional wellbeing of workers and in view of an absence of studies on integrative practices for relieving workers’ complaints, the aim of the present study was to evaluate the effectiveness of integrative medicine practices on the health of workers in private companies
Summary
Since the end of the 20th century, numerous actions taken by the different classes of workers have contributed to changes in public policies for workers’ health at all levels. The promotion of health and QoL in the workplace has become a part of the organizational culture of large corporations over the last few decades.[2] The purpose of these programs is to amplify the possibilities of individual and collective actions on factors that interfere on workers’ health and QoL, making themselves responsible for controlling this process.[3] In this context, private companies that invest in health promotion and prevention programs present different dynamics; assertive actions, when adequately planned and developed, are capable of improving the health status in all dimensions and change paradigms, for example with increases in productivity and reductions in expenses with medical care.[4]. This policy regulated these practices within the SUS – including acupuncture, homeopathy, anthroposophical medicine, and phytotherapy.[7]
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