translated from Spanish: Mental health of workers in pandemics: a joint challenge

Faced with the current pandemic context, it is not only COVID-19 that has had an impact on health. Adapting to new ways of life, confinement, teleworking and physical and emotional exhaustion, has revealed a second, even more complex problem: the deterioration of the mental health of workers.
The confinement, an uncertain future and the possibility of becoming seriously ill, among other factors, have generated that mental health care increases exponentially.
According to figures from the Institute of Occupational Safety (ISL), only in the first half of 2020, psychological pathologies classified as labor increased by 279%, which shows an excessive growth in exposure to risk by workers. In the case of the first half of 2021, they grew by 133% more than last year and an increase of 40% is already projected during this second period of the year.
Considering that this issue will continue to accompany us beyond the pandemic, it is key to integrate and promote healthy and healthy environments in work spaces and teleworking, where prevention is a fundamental piece in the installation of a culture that mitigates psychosocial risks.
Facing the problem of mental health in Chile is everyone’s task and not only employers, since the administrative bodies also have a great responsibility.
However, for this strategy to work, it is very important that the actors involved work to combat the effects, both direct and indirect, generated by this pandemic, in order to ensure the physical and mental well-being of workers.

The content expressed in this opinion column is the sole responsibility of its author, and does not necessarily reflect the editorial line or position of El Mostrador.

Original source in Spanish