Necesidades y dificultades de los profesionales médicos en salud y seguridad ocupacional del Ecuador

Abstract

Objective: To define the main needs and difficulties faced by occupational doctors in Ecuadorian companies in the performance of their duties in relation to health promotion and prevention, health surveillance, asístanse and rehabilitation, research, and training of the workers. Method: An exploratory study was carried out and a questionnaire was applied to a sample of experts in occupational medicine. The sample was selected through a not-probabilistic sampling for convenience and included occupational doctors, or doctors with specialization in occupational health and safety (OHS), who are currently performing their functions in public or private companies in Ecuador, who have at least two years of experience in occupational or related medicine. Results: The lack of budget and resources for OHS, the lack of knowledge and managerial commitment to OHS are difficulties reported by the participants. The need for resources and budget, the improvement of knowledge and managerial commitment to OHS are the most frequent in the functions investigated. Conclusion: The difficulties and needs experienced by the occupational doctors surveyed are different according to the occupational function that is analyzed, however, we found that the most frequent difficulties and needs referred to in the occupational functions correspond to the labor reality that prevails in Ecuador, which is related to the economic sphere and the lack of knowledge of business leaders about SSO.