Common mental disorders in Primary Health Care professionals during the COVID-19 pandemic period: a cross-sectional study in the Northern health macro-region of Minas Gerais state, Brazil, 2021

Epidemiol Serv Saude. 2023 Jun 5;32(1):e2022432. doi: 10.1590/S2237-96222023000100012. eCollection 2023.
[Article in English, Portuguese]

Abstract

Objective: to analyze the prevalence of symptoms of common mental disorders (CMDs) in Primary Health Care professionals between August-October/2021.

Methods: this was a cross-sectional study conducted with health professionals in the Northern health macro-region of Minas Gerais state; snowball sampling was used; the dependent variable, CMDs, was evaluated using the Self-Reporting Questionnaire (SRQ-20); Poisson regression was used to perform the statistical analysis.

Results: a total of 702 health professionals took part in the study; the prevalence of CDMs was 43.2%. It was higher in those with previous [prevalence ratios (PR) = 2.42; 95%CI 1.43;4.08] and current (PR = 1.54; 95%CI 1.25;1.89) symptoms of mental disorders, overwork during the pandemic (PR = 1.42; 95%CI 1.16;1.73), previous symptoms of anxiety (PR = 1.27; 95%CI 1.01;1.61), depression (PR = 1.27; 95%CI 1.06;1.52) and other mental disorders (PR = 1.20; 95%CI 1.01;1.43).

Conclusion: there was an association between CDMs and presenting previous and current symptoms of mental disorders and work overload during the covid-19 pandemic.

Objetivo:: analisar a prevalência de sintomas de transtornos mentais comuns (TMCs) em profissionais de saúde da Atenção Primária à Saúde, no período agosto-outubro/2021.

Métodos:: estudo transversal com profissionais de saúde da macrorregião Norte de saúde de Minas Gerais; amostragem de tipo “bola de neve”; a variável dependente, TMCs, foi avaliada pelo Self-Reporting Questionnaire (SRQ-20); utilizou-se regressão de Poisson na análise estatística.

Resultados:: participaram 702 profissionais de saúde; a prevalência de TMCs foi de 43,2%, maior naqueles que apresentaram sintomas de transtornos mentais prévios [razão de prevalências (RP) = 2,42 ;IC95% 1,43;4,08] e atuais (RP = 1,54; IC95% 1,25;1,89), trabalho a mais durante a pandemia (RP = 1,42; IC95% 1,16;1,73), sintomas prévios de ansiedade (RP = 1,27; IC95% 1,01;1,61), depressão (RP = 1,27; IC95% 1,06;1,52) e outros transtornos mentais (RP = 1,20; IC95% 1,01;1,43).

Conclusão:: observou-se associação de TMCs com sintomas prévios e atuais de transtornos mentais e sobrecarga de trabalho, durante a pandemia da covid-19.

Objetivo:: analizar la prevalencia de síntomas de trastornos mentales comunes (TMC) en profesionales sanitarios de la Atención Primaria de Salud de agosto a octubre de 2021.

Métodos:: estudio transversal realizado con profesionales de la salud de la macrorregión norte de Minas Gerais. El muestreo fue del tipo bola de nieve. La variable dependiente, TMC, se evaluó mediante el Self-Reporting Questionnaire (SRQ-20). En el análisis estadístico se utilizó la regresión de Poisson.

Resultados:: participaron 702 profesionales de salud. La prevalencia de TMC fue del 43,2%, mayor en quienes presentaban síntomas de trastornos mentales previos (RP = 2,42; IC95% 1,43;4,08) y actuales (RP = 1,54; IC95% 1,25;1,89); exceso de trabajo durante la pandemia (RP = 1,42; IC95% 1,16;1,73); síntomas previos de ansiedad (RP = 1,27; IC95% 1,01;1,61), depresión (RP = 1,27; IC95% 1,06;1,52) y otros trastornos mentales (RP = 1,20; IC95% 1,01;1,43).

Conclusión:: hubo una asociación entre los TMC y los síntomas previos y actuales de los trastornos mentales y la sobrecarga de trabajo durante la pandemia de COVID-19.

MeSH terms

  • Brazil / epidemiology
  • COVID-19* / epidemiology
  • Cross-Sectional Studies
  • Health Personnel
  • Humans
  • Mental Disorders* / epidemiology
  • Pandemics