Programa Patrulha da Saúde: indicadores de saúde em policiais rodoviários federais

Abstract

*** Health’s Patrol Program: health indicators from federal highway policemen ***AIMS: To evaluate the socio-demographic, health, nutritional, physical and functional profile of federal highway policemen participants of the Health Patrol Program and evaluate the association of these characteristics with age and time of service.METHODS: Cross-sectional study with federal highway police officers from the city of Pelotas, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, in September 2015. Health Patrol Program’s participants who were not on vacation or license were included. Questionnaires with sociodemographic information, level of physical activity and musculoskeletal symptoms were applied. Anthropometric and nutritional data, blood pressure and physical and functional capacities were measured. The variables were categorized by age and time of service. The independent t-test and chi-square test or Fisher's exact test were used to evaluate the associations. The significance level adopted was p≤0.05.RESULTS: Of the 64 police officers from the Pelotas police station, 41 (64.1%) men met the inclusion criteria. There were higher percentages of married, non-smokers, with normal blood pressure and physically active in leisure (89.5%). The following means were recorded: body mass index 28.5±3.4 kg/m2, waist circumference 99.2±8.5 cm, body fat 25.1±4.9%, flexibility 21.2±9.4 cm, isometric handgrip strength of right and left hand respectively 47.4±6.2 kgf and 44.6±6.3 kgf and isometric strength of lower limbs 127.1±20.8 kgf. The average score of the functional evaluation was 13.8±2.6 points (57% with ≤14 points). The musculoskeletal symptoms that were most associated with absence from work were located in knee (22%) and low back (14,6%). Older policemen exhibited higher values for body mass index, waist circumference and body fat percentage, and the oldest in the corporation showed greater waist circumference.CONCLUSIONS: Even when they stated being physically active, federal highway police officers participating in the Health Patrol Program in Pelotas had often inadequate morphological and physical conditions, as well levels of strength and flexibility lower than those recommended for this population. In this sample, the more advanced age and longer service time in the Federal Highway Police were associated with morphological parameters of high risk for cardiovascular diseases. It was also observed that federal highway policemen had a high risk of musculoskeletal injuries and were absence from work mainly due to musculoskeletal complaints in the low back and knee regions.