ASSESSMENT OF THE CAPACITY FOR THE WORK OF MIDDLE-AGED AND ELDERLY SERVERS OF A PUBLIC UNIVERSITY
Assessment of work capacity. Aging. Worker's health.
The study aims to assess the work capacity of middle-aged and elderly employees at a university in northeastern Brazil, and is justified by the need to develop strategies to promote the health and well-being of aging workers. The research adopts the observational, descriptive, quantitative approach and is being carried out at a university in northeastern Brazil. Participants are administrative technical servants in education and active teachers of the university staff governed by the single legal regime, of both sexes, aged 45 and over, minimum education of fourth grade of elementary school and with professional practice in Campi located in capital or inland. Data collection takes place in two stages: in the first, data collection instruments on sociodemographic factors, lifestyle, labor factors, psychological factors and the Work Ability Index are applied; the second step is the assessment of functional capacity, using the 10-meter walk test and the handgrip strength test. In the design phase of the research project, an integrative review research was carried out with the aim of investigating the state of the art on the subject from 2008 to 2018, which deal with the assessment of the ability to work during aging. The review was carried out in the Scielo, PubMED and LILACS databases; including studies in Portuguese, English and Spanish; open acess and available in full. Literature reviews and evidence from case studies, experience or expert opinion were excluded. Of the total studies surveyed (n = 225), 17 studies were included in the review. The results were categorized into three dimensions: factors associated with work ability; theoretical model test and validation of work capacity assessment instrument; and pain, chronic health conditions and the ability to work in aging. The evidence warns of the need to incorporate the assessment of the ability to work in an early and continuous way during the worker's work life with the aim of providing an active, healthy and autonomous and independent old age.