Abstract
Introduction
Symptoms such as insomnia, fatigue, irritability, forgetfulness, difficulty concentrating, and somatic complaints may signal the existence of Common Mental Disorders (CMD). Therefore, tracking these disorders with the aim of preserving the integrity of workers' mental health is currently required. The objective of this study was to investigate the association of CMDs with the variables age, shiftwork, and role in employees of a metallurgical industry located at the region of Vale do Paraiba, Sao Paulo state, Brazil.
Method
The Brazilian version of the Self-Reporting Questionnaire (SRQ-20) was used as analytical tool.
Results
Seventy-seven workers aged 20-50 years were evaluated. The results show that the second work shift presented a higher frequency of affected workers (72%), with 22% of them aged 33-34 years. With respect to the variables associated with depressive-anxious mood, most workers reported feeling nervous, tense or worried. For somatic symptoms, most workers reported frequent headaches. Regarding vital energy decrease, feeling tired easily was detected as the most influential component. For assessment of depressive thoughts, most workers reported frequent loss of interest. The results also show that general assistants (31%) and forklift operators (40%) are the most affected workers.
Conclusion
The SRQ-20 was effective in assessing CMDs to track occupational mental health.
Keywords:
health management; occupational medicine; common mental disorders