Abstract
Objective: To analyze factors associated with the medical disembarkation of workers on offshore oil platforms after consultations mediated by telemedicine. Methods: This is a cross-sectional study, with data from medical consultations of workers on board three oil units in the state of Rio de Janeiro, between 2013 and 2018. Among the 902 consultations mediated by telemedicine, only 9.1% resulted in disembarkation. Results: The sociodemographic profile of the population served was predominantly male, of Brazilian nationality, with an average age of 38.6 years, and linked to outsourced companies. It was observed that foreign nationality had a lower chance of disembarkation compared to Brazilian nationality (OR=0.05; CI: 0.02-0.11), work-related cases had a higher chance of disembarkation compared to non-work-related cases (OR=4.07; CI: 1.75-9.48), and the years 2014 (OR=3.56; CI 1.24; 10.21) and 2018 (OR=3.41; CI: 1.25-9.35) had higher chances of disembarkation compared to 2013. Conclusion: The results support the hypothesis that teleconsultation contributes significantly to the effectiveness of care in remote environments, especially for workers with work-related illnesses and in certain nosological categories (mental, ophthalmological, cardiovascular, genitourinary, and traumatic disorders).
References
ALVAREZ D, et al. Aspectos do regime de embarque, turnos e gestão do trabalho em plataformas offshore da Bacia de Campos (RJ) e sua relação com a saúde e a segurança dos trabalhadores. Revista Brasileira de Saúde Ocupacional, 2010; 35, (122): 201-216.
ANSCOMBE DL. Healthcare delivery for oil rig workers: telemedicine plays a vital role. Telemedicine and e-Health, 2010; 16(6): 659–663.
ANTONIOLLI SAC, et al. Offshore work and the work of nurses on board: an integrative review. Revista da Escola de Enfermagem da USP, 2015; 49(4): 689–698.
BERGRATH S, et al. Technical and organisational feasibility of a multifunctional telemedicine system in an emergency medical service: an observational study. Journal of Telemedicine and Telecare, 2011; 17: 371–377.
BRASIL. Ministério da Saúde. Secretaria de Atenção à Saúde. Departamento de Atenção Básica. Manual de Telessaúde para a Atenção Básica - Atenção Primária à Saúde: Protocolo de Telerregulação de Teleconsultorias. Brasília, DF: Ministério da Saúde; 2013.
BRASIL. Ministério do Trabalho e Emprego. Portaria da Secretaria de Inspeção do Trabalho Nº 183, de 11 de maio de 2010. Norma Regulamentadora NR 30 – Anexo II: - Segurança e Saúde no Trabalho Aquaviário. Brasília, DF: 11 maio 2011.
BRASIL. Ministério do Trabalho e Emprego. Portaria da Secretaria de Inspeção do Trabalho nº 1.186, de 20 de dezembro de 2018. Norma regulamentadora NR 37: Segurança e Saúde em Plataformas de Petróleo. Brasília, DF: 20 dez. 2018.
BRASIL. Presidência da República. Subchefia para Assuntos Jurídicos. Lei nº 5811 de 11 de outubro de 1972. Dispõe sobre o regime de trabalho dos empregados nas atividades de exploração, perfuração, produção e refinação de petróleo, industrialização do xisto, indústria petroquímica e transporte de petróleo e seus derivados por meio de dutos. Diário Oficial [da] República Federativa do Brasil: Brasília, DF, Seção 1. p. 9180. 16 out. 1972.
CONSELHO FEDERAL DE MEDICINA. Resolução nº 2.227, de 13 de dezembro de 2018. Define e disciplina a telemedicina como forma de prestação de serviços médicos mediados por tecnologias. Brasília, DF: Seção 1. p. 58. 13 dez. 2018.
CONSELHO FEDERAL DE MEDICINA. Resolução nº 2.314/2022 (Publicada no D.O.U. de 05 de maio de 2022, Seção I, p. 227) Define e regulamenta a telemedicina, como forma de serviços médicos mediados por tecnologias de comunicação. Brasília, DF: 05 maio 2022.
COUTINHO SMS, et al.Representações sociais de trabalho offshore para trabalhadores embarcados e implicações na vida familiar e social. Psi Unisc, 2019; 3(1): 33–55.
DAI Y, et al. The effects of telerehabilitation on physiological function and disease symptom for patients with chronic respiratory disease: a systematic review and meta-analysis. BMC Pulmonary Medicine, 2024; 24(1): 305.
DETHLEFF D, et al. Air medical evacuations from the German North Sea wind farm Bard Offshore 1: traumatic injuries, acute diseases, and rescue process times (2011–2013). Air Medical Journal, 2016; 35(4): 216–226.
DONNELLY R. The offshore industry: overview. Occupational Medicine, 2009; 59: 296–297.
FOMO M, et al. Empowering capabilities of people with chronic conditions supported by digital health technologies: scoping review. Journal of Medical Internet Research, 2025; 27: e68458.
FOX JL, et al. A Narrative Review of Health Status and Healthcare Delivery in the Oil and Gas Industry: Impacts on Employees, Employers, and Local Communities. Healthcare2023; 11(21): 2888.
FU L, et al. Decentralizing pulmonary screening for China’s aging population: from hospitals to communities. Aging and Disease, 2025.
LIMA CCM. Gestão da saúde de trabalhadores em locais remotos. Revista Brasileira de Medicina do Trabalho, 2018; 16(Supl. 1): 1–44.
MAIR F, et al. The added value of video for consultations in telemedicine for minor injuries work. Journal of Telemedicine and Telecare2011; 17(8): 427–431.
MARCOLINO MS, et al. Teleconsultorias no apoio à atenção primária à saúde em municípios remotos no estado de Minas Gerais, Brasil. Revista Panamericana de Salud Pública, 2014; 35(5/6): 345–352.
MISTRY H. Systematic review of studies of the cost-effectiveness of telemedicine and telecare: changes in the economic evidence over twenty years. Journal of Telemedicine and Telecare,2012; 18: 1–6.
OLIVEIRA MT, et al. Diretriz de Telecardiologia no cuidado de pacientes com síndrome coronariana aguda e outras doenças cardíacas. Arquivos Brasileiros de Cardiologia,2015; 104(5).
OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY, HEALTH ADMINISTRATION. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). 29 CFR Part 1904 - Recording and Reporting Occupational Injuries and Illnesses. Washington, DC, Department of Labor.
PONSONBY W, et al. Offshore industry: medical emergency response in the offshore oil and gas industry. Occupational Medicine, 2009; 59: 298–303.
RACODON M, et al. Tele-pulmonary rehabilitation in hybrid form compared with conventional pulmonary rehabilitation: impact in the medium and long term. American Journal of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation, 2024; 104(1): 8–13.
RIETHMEISTER V, et al. Work, eat and sleep: towards a healthy ageing at work program offshore. BMC Public Healt. 2016; 16: 134.
SAMPAIO JJC, et al. Saúde mental e trabalho em petroleiros de plataforma: penosidade, rebeldia e conformismo em petroleiros de produção (onshore/off shore) no Ceará. Fortaleza: Editora da UECE, 2023.
STILZ I, et al. A prospective investigation of the impact of telemedicine and telemetry on global medical evacuation rates. Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, 2022; 64(12): 1067–1072.
TAN A, et al. Factors contributing to premature disembarkation in Malaysian offshore installations due to illness and work related injuries. In: SPE Asia Pacific Health, Safety, Security, Environment and Social Responsibility Conference; 2017; Malaysia. Anais.
THIBODAUX DP, et al. Medical evacuations from oil rigs off the Gulf Coast of the United States from 2008 to 2012: reasons and cost implications. Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine,2014; 56(7): 681–685.
TIMOTEO EF, et al. Real-time telerehabilitation for chronic respiratory disease and post-COVID-19: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Journal of Telemedicine and Telecare, 2025; 31(7): 991–1004.
TODNEM K, et al. The implementation of telemedicine as an integrated part of the health service on the Statoil operated installations on the Norwegian Continental Shelf (NCS). In: International Conference on Health, Safety and Environment in Oil and Gas Exploration and Production; 2012; Perth, Australia. Anais.
TONER S, et al. Medical evacuations in the oil and gas industry: a retrospective review with implications for future evacuation and preventative strategies. Journal of Travel Medicine, 2017; 24(3).
TUCKSON RV, et al. Telehealth. New England Journal of Medicine, 2017; 377(16): 1585–1592.
WAJE-ANDREASSEN A, et al. A prospective observational study of why people are medically evacuated from offshore installations in the North Sea. BMJ Open, 2020; 10(7): e037558.
WOLDAREGAY A, et al. Literatures review of telemedicine services in maritime and extreme weather. International Journal of Integrated Care, 2016; 16(5).
WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION. A health telematics policy in support of WHO’s Health-For-All strategy for global health development: report of the WHO group consultation on health telematics. Geneva: WHO, 1998.
