Comprehensive Rehabilitation for Accident and Occupational Diseases in Colombian Workers

Abstract

The numbers of accidents and occupational diseases in Colombia are high. In 2014, 13,918 workers received compensation for permanent partial disability or invalidity. The Social Security provides rehabilitation services to workers who require it. Its objective is the social integration and recovery of productive capacity.

However, the results of the rehabilitation is poor. In recent years a medical center in southwestern Colombia implements a model of ergonomic rehabilitation aimed at improving care for workers and optimize resources, achieve better results in functional recovery and employment integration in less time, positively impacting the quality of life and labor productivity in the región.

The aim of the study was to determine characteristics and results of a comprehensive rehabilitation process for workers who suffered an accident or illness.

Were characterize the population and quality of health indicators. 6336 cases were analyzed, 74% were men. 80% of the population was between 30 and 59 years, the group between 40 and 49 years was the most representative. The most frequent pathologies requiring rehabilitation were: STC (90%), lumbar disc disorders, mental disorders, Quervain tenosynovitis and epicondylitis.

Reduction in the number of days, from 96 days of incapacity average in 2013 to 50 days in 2014 were observed. Similarly comportment in the Rehabilitation times showed a downward trend from 230 days in 2013 to 43 days in 2014. The sector with more cases is the agricultural sector with 46%, followed by the industrial sector with 30%. return to the job was 95% of cases.