No abstract

Considering the scarcity of studies with young workers and the role of diet in the prevention of chronic diseases, the objective of the study was to assess the quality of diet of working college students. The present study investigated 43 university students, aged between 18 and 25 years old who had systematically being involved in a working activity in the past 6 months, paid or unpaid, at least 6 hours daily, five days a week. Dietary intake measured by seven dietary records covering every day of the week was used to calculate the Brazilian Healthy Eating Index Revised (B-HEIR). It was observed a low B-HEIR score (53.43,±7.81) indicating a risk of a poor quality of diet, with high intake of sodium and sugar and low consumption of fruits and whole grains. This poor quality of diet can result in an inadequate nutritional status that may increase the risk of obesity and chronic diseases.

It is the aim of the present study to assess factors associated with time spent in class among working college students. Eighty-two working students from 21 to 26 years old participated in this study. They were enrolled in an evening course of the University of São Paulo, Brazil. Participants answered a questionnaire on living and working conditions. During seven consecutive days, they wore an actigraph, filled out daily activity diaries (including time spent in classes) and the Karolinska Sleepiness Scale every three hours from waking until bedtime. Linear regression analyses were performed in order to assess the variables associated with time spent in classes. The results showed that gender, sleep length, excessive sleepiness, alcoholic beverage consumption (during workdays) and working hours were associated factors with time spent in class. Thus, those who spent less time in class were males, slept longer hours, reported excessive sleepiness on Saturdays, worked longer hours, and reported alcohol consumption. The combined effects of long work hours (>40 h/week) and reduced sleep length may affect lifestyles and academic performance. Future studies should aim to look at adverse health effects induced by reduced sleep duration, even among working students who spent more time attending evening classes.

In developing countries, youngsters start to work during the high school years. Several studies have shown the difficulties associated with double shift, i.e. to work and study concomitantly, and its negative health consequences. Work and study time, as social synchronizers, have significant effects on the sleep-wake cycle (SWC). The purpose of this study was to evaluate sleep patterns and sleepiness in young students before and after entering the workforce as apprentices or trainees. Participants were 40 adolescents (26 males), 15-18 years old (mean = 15.8 years old) engaged in a first-job program at a non-governmental organization (NGO) while attending evening high school in the outskirts of the city of São Paulo, Brazil. The participants wore actigraphs (Ambulatory Monitoring, Inc.) and registered subjective sleepiness on KSS (Karolinska Sleepiness Scale) along 7 consecutive days, before and after admission to the job. Descriptive analyses were performed, and the variables were tested by means of the t-test and repeated measures ANOVA taking factors day of the week and time of the day into consideration. The participants' sleep duration on weekdays exhibited significant difference before and after starting work (F = 4.55; p = 0.04); the mean sleep duration was 492 min (SD = 44 min) before admission to the job to decrease to 405 min (SD = 58 min) after starting work. The mid-sleep time exhibited significant difference on weekdays before and after starting work (04:57 h; SD = 45 min versus 03:30 h; SD = 54 min; F = 4.91; p = 0.03). Finally, also sleepiness on weekdays (F = 6.41; p = 0.04) and at the waking time (F = 10.75; p < 0.01) exhibited significant difference before and after admission to the job. This article emphasizes the fact that social synchronizers like working during the day and studying in the evening changed the participants' SWC and were associated with sleep restriction. Brazilian governmental incentives notwithstanding, simultaneous performance of several activities by young workers should be considered as an occupational health hazard. Employment policies targeting young workers should take the dual shift - study and work - and its effects on the sleep-wake cycle into account.

Embora se saiba da elevada prevalência de estudantes universitários trabalhadores, tem-se ainda evidências limitadas sobre as características do trabalho que influenciam o seu desempenho acadêmico. Assim, este estudo objetiva identificar as características do trabalho associadas ao desempenho acadêmico de universitários trabalhadores. Trata-se de um estudo transversal realizado em 2007/2008 com uma amostra de alunos de graduação de uma universidade pública (n=211). Para estimar a associação entre as variáveis explicativas e o desempenho acadêmico, utilizou-se um modelo de regressão logística múltiplo. Apresentaram associação positiva com o baixo desempenho acadêmico: o sexo masculino; maiores jornada de trabalho e demanda; e baixos controle e apoio social no trabalho. Destacou-se a necessidade de atenção dos alunos e dos docentes na seleção de ambientes de trabalho/estágio potencialmente favoráveis ao melhor desempenho acadêmico.

No abstract

The double journey (work and study) may result or aggravate health problems, including sleep disturbances, as observed in previous studies with high school students. The aim of this study is to analyze the sleep-wake cycle and perceived sleepiness of working college students during weekdays. Twenty-three healthy college male students, 21-24 years old, working during the day and attending classes in the evening, participated in this study. During five consecutive days, the students filled out daily activities logs and wore actigraphs. Mean sleeping time was lower than 6 hours per night. No significant differences were observed in the sleep-wake cycle during the weekdays. The observed lack of changes in the sleepwake cycle of these college students might occur as participants were not on a free schedule, but exposed to social constraints, as was the regular attendance to evening college and day work activities. Sleepiness worsened over the evening school hours. Those results show the burden carried by College students who perform double activities -work and study.

Objetivo identificar e discutir situações de trabalho relatadas por adolescentes trabalhadores que pudessem se constituir como violência psicológica no trabalho. Métodos foram realizadas entrevistas individuais semiestruturadas com 30 jovens trabalhadores entre 15 e 20 anos de idade. As informações foram analisadas a partir da análise hermenêutico-dialética. Resultados em geral, os participantes perceberam os “relacionamentos interpessoais” no trabalho como bons, mas relataram inúmeras situações de “mal-estar no trabalho” que incluíram humilhações, abusos de poder, constrangimentos e assédio sexual, revelando ocorrências de violência psicológica no trabalho. Os jovens mais empoderados e autônomos conseguiram enfrentar com mais firmeza as situações abusivas, fossem elas por parte de colegas de trabalho ou de superiores hierárquicos. Conclusão os adolescentes ingressantes no mundo do trabalho estão expostos a situações que ameaçam a saúde mental e se valem, sobretudo, do apoio social como estratégia de enfrentamento. Sugere-se a inclusão de temas de Saúde Mental e Trabalho, não só em organizações de educação para o trabalho, mas também no ensino médio regular, como contribuição ao preparo dos adolescentes e para que possam identificar e desenvolver estratégias de enfrentamento à violência psicológica.