[Social crisis and occupational fatigue among health professionals: warnings and resources].
Due to the crisis of the welfare state, the smashing of the state budget and the labour flexibility, the "helping professions" (health service, education, etc.) are the main assistance for the poor, the elderly people and the victims of violence. This result in the emergence of occupational pathologies, mainly in the health workers, such as burnout, secondary traumatic stress or empaty caused fatigue, mobbing or moral harassment -all of them affecting not only the quality of life of professionals but also the body health. The corporal disorders may begin with mild malfunctions, considered as "natural" facts of life, then becoming severe illness. The professional may attempt to meliorate the situation with the use of alcohol, tobacco, ansiolitics, etc. thus worsening the whole health. At the moment there are not legal regulations for this emergent pathologies. We have to pay attention to the signals in order to be able to overcome the dysfunctional defense mechanisms and to activate the preventive and protective resources, such as reflexion groups at workplaces.
Wolfberg
Elsa
E
Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Argentina. psico@feedback.net.ar
D001118:Argentina; D002055:Burnout, Professional / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005260:Female; D006282:Health Personnel; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012940:Social Problems