Working conditions and common mental disorders in physicians in Brazil

Abstract

Background: Common mental disorders (CMD) are a marker of work-related psychiatric morbidity. Previous studies have shown a high prevalence in Brazilian health care settings. Aims: To assess the prevalence of CMD and their associated factors in a group of physicians working at a public health unit in Belo Horizonte, Brazil. Methods: CMD were evaluated using the Self-Reporting Questionnaire-20 (SQR-20), developed by the World Health Organization and validated for Brazil. The questionnaire consists of 20 questions: four about physical symptoms and 16 about emotional symptoms. Prevalence was calculated as a percentage of physicians with CMD. Poisson univariate and multivariate regression models were applied to assess associated factors. Results: Analysis was based on 227 physicians who answered the SRQ-20 (97% response rate). The prevalence of CMD was 24%. Dissatisfaction and commitment to work remained positively associated with CMD. Having more than one job and significant social support from peers and superiors remained negatively associated with CMD. Conclusions: Prevalence of CMD is in a similar range to that reported in other countries and in Brazil generally. Aspects related to work were the only ones that were independently associated with CMD. Work-related aspects and the motivation of physicians are important and need to be taken into account to ensure that physicians remain healthy. © The Author 2013. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society of Occupational Medicine. All rights reserved.