La incapacidad, indicador de salud laboral con alta variabilidad territorial

Abstract: Disability is an indicator of occupational health being at the same time an indicator of health’ decline. The temporary and permanent labor incapacity derives from multiple variables causing, modulating and determining it. Among all of them, the significant variability of presentation by territories (autonomous communities) provides a map of occupational health for its causal analysis. Material and Methods: The basic data of temporary and permanent disability were extracted from the social security data page. They were hereafter prepared to be analyzed and elaborated by comparing the data accumulated up to September 2019 with those compiled in the previous study of 2017. The following bibliographic databases SciELO and PUBMED as well as data from the National Statistical Institute, Ministry of Health, were reviewed up to August 2019. Specific sources are reviewed in the bibliography. Objective: To verify by territory the diversity representation of the work incapacity, of the data analysis impact, of the duration and prevalence of temporary incapacity and the diverse representation of permanent incapacity together with its incapacity degrees by geographical areas (Autonomous Community) establishing its possible causes. To give value to the incapacity as an indicator of occupational health. To consider the diversity presentation for the integral and integrating benefit management and the improvement of occupational health, not only for economic protection criteria but also for occupational prevention. Conclusions: As the present study indicates, the territorial differentiation of work disability become established over time, affirming that there are areas which are more or less healthy as the indicator of work incapacity shows; It can be therefore asserted, that in terms of occupational health the postal code seems to matter even more than the genetic code. Different occupational health rates are reflected in terms of spending across geographical areas beyond other economic and management considerations. Such inequalities need to be addressed from a preventive, occupational, health and social perspective. Med Segur Trab (Internet). 2019;65(257):261-284