Abstract

Introduction: Working in altitude involves exposition to hypobaric hypoxia, which may affect productivity of exposed individuals. The concept of presenteeism implies working at non optimum conditions and it is a high impact phenomenon. The purpose of this study was to determine the relation among fatigue, presenteeism and Acute Mountain Sickness (AMS) symptoms. Methods: The study was carried out in Chile, at a mine located at approximately 1800 m. Demographic variations, anthropometrics and pulse oximetry were recorded. Lake Louis questionnaire was used to quantify AMS; for fatigue ‘‘Check List Individual Strength’’ self report was used and in order to quantify presenteeism, inquiries by self reporting on performance were carried out. The statistical analysis was done using the Spearman rank correlations and logistics regression. Results. A sample of 417 workers was obtained, of average 30.3 years old and 93.0% men. 16.1% of AMS and 20.6% presenteeism was found in the last year. The analysis through Spearman correlation showed a significant association between presenteeism and AMS (r¼0.17; p<0.001), depression (r¼0.29; p<0.001), anxiety (r¼0.26; p<0.001) and body mass index (r¼0.11; p¼0.0023). In the multivariate analysis the only significant predictor were the depression symptoms (p¼0.013). Conclusion. There is a notable rate of presenteeism in the sample analyzed. There were associations to depression and anxiety symptoms, which can be expected, but also AMS and obesity symptoms. Other studies are required as well as the development of actions to verify the associations found.