TEMPO ATÉ À CERTIFICAÇÃO DE DOENÇAS PROFISSIONAIS EM PORTUGAL: ESTUDO RETROSPETIVO NUM CENTRO HOSPITALAR

Background: The recognition of an Occupational Disease (OD) in Portugal is a complex and lengthy process. Objective: This study evaluated the time elapsed between OD reporting and the decision by the Department of Protection Against Occupational Risks. Method: A retrospective cohort study included 561 cases of OD with completed certification processes, analyzing differences across pathology groups, professional categories and sex. Results: The median certification time was 235 days, with significant variations among OD groups. Group 5 (Infectious and Parasitic Diseases) had the shortest median response time (201 days), while Group 4 (Diseases Caused by Physical Agents) had a significantly longer response time (678 days; p < 0,001). After excluding COVID-19 cases, the median time in Group 5 increased to 315 days, but remained significantly shorter than that of Group 4 (p = 0,007). Among professional categories, nurses had the shortest response time (210 days), significantly lower than administrative technicians (371 days; p = 0,0008). No significant differences were observed between sex (p = 0,430). Conclusion: OD certification times in Portugal remain prolonged, with relevant differences across pathology groups. The lack of deadlines and complexity in recognizing certain diseases contribute to delays. Streamlining certification could improve worker protection, health, and productivity.