Transtornos mentais comuns e hábitos de vida dos Guardas Metropolitanos de Palmas, Tocantins, Brasil

Savyo Borges Melo, Isabela Araújo da Silva, Adriana Ribeiro da Silveira, Bárbara Alicy Teixeira Sousa, Tiago Veloso Neves.

Abstract

Objective: To analyze the prevalence of mental disorders among agents of the Metropolitan Guard in Palmas, Tocantins, Brazil. Methods: Agents of the Metropolitan Guard of Palmas (GMP) were screened for Common Mental Disorders (CMD) using the Self-Report Questionnaire – SRQ-20. Individuals with a score ≥ 7 were considered to have CMD. Sociodemographic and religious habits data were also collected using a pre-designed form. The Mann-Whitney test was used to compare SRQ-20 scores for variables with two categories, while the Kruskal-Wallis test was applied for variables with more than two categories. Results: The prevalence of CMD was 26 guards (19.1%). Among the women who participated, 31.8% were experiencing mental distress, making them the most affected group. Among those in a divorced marital status, 26.3% were found to have CMD. Additionally, there were statistically significant differences in SRQ-20 scores between those who do not believe in God and those who do (p=0.01). Conclusion: The number of individuals experiencing psychological distress in this occupational setting was considerably high. Therefore, strategies for care and prevention should be considered and implemented within the GMP.