[Barriers to interventions aimed at promoting the health of health care workers in Brazil].
OBJECTIVE
To search the literature for circumstances that impede injury and disease prevention and other activities intended to improve the health of the health care worker.


METHODS
The SciELO database was searched for articles published in 1967-2008. This was supplemented by a PubMed search for the period 1950-2008. The following key words were used to identify articles in English, Portuguese, and Spanish: work, health personnel, occupational, risks, diseases, ergonomics, work ability, quality of life, organization, accidents, work conditions, intervention, and administration. Articles on injury and disease prevention and occupational health in a health care setting in Latin America were selected, along with articles focused on health promotion in the health sector.


RESULTS
The following shortcomings were identified: activities lacked a sound theoretical foundation and were not integrated with the health services management; a failure to evaluate the effectiveness of the activity; health surveillance focused solely on a specific disease or injury; management not committed to the proposed activity; miscommunication; inability of workers to participate, or control the work environment; and, programs or efforts that were limited to changing the workers' behaviors.


CONCLUSIONS
The literature shows that all the barriers identified by this study affect both the health care workers' health as well as their productivity.
Reinhardt
Erica Lui
EL
Fundacentro, Coordenação de Higiene do Trabalho, São Paulo (SP), Brazil. erica.reinhardt@fundacentro.gov.br
Fischer
Frida Marina
FM
D000062:Accidents, Occupational / Q000517:prevention & control; D001938:Brazil; D006282:Health Personnel; D006293:Health Promotion; D006801:Humans; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000517:prevention & control; D016272:Occupational Health