Alonso Melissa Spröesser, Lima Maria Cristina Pereira, Dias Adriano, Nunes Hélio Rubens de Carvalho, Ruiz-Frutos Carlos, Fagundo-Rivera Javier, Gómez-Salgado Juan, Bernardes João Marcos
Graduate Program in Collective/Public Health, Botucatu Medical School, São Paulo State University (UNESP), Botucatu 18618687, São Paulo, Brazil.
Department of Neurosciences and Mental Health, Botucatu Medical School, São Paulo State University (UNESP), Botucatu 18618687, São Paulo, Brazil.
Behav Sci (Basel). 2025 Mar 13;15(3):358. doi: 10.3390/bs15030358.
The COVID-19 pandemic significantly impacted the mental health of workers. This study aimed to assess the prevalence of psychological distress among Brazilian workers during the early months of the pandemic and explore its associated factors. A cross-sectional study was conducted using an online questionnaire administered to 2903 Brazilian workers, including 1752 non-healthcare workers (NHCWs) and 1151 healthcare workers (HCWs), between April and May 2020. Snowball sampling was employed for participant recruitment, and the research questionnaire was adapted for use with the Brazilian population through a process of translation and cultural adaptation, based on an instrument initially created and validated for use in Spain. Differences between NHCWs and HCWs were tested using the chi-square or Fisher's Exact test and Mann-Whitney test followed by effect size measurement. Multiple linear regression models were used to analyze the association between psychological distress and the predictor variables. Psychological distress was observed in 72.6% (95% CI 70.1-74.2%) of the participants, with no significant difference observed between NHCWs and HCWs. Although 32 variables showed statistically significant differences between NHCWs and HCWs, only 7 demonstrated clinical-epidemiological relevance, primarily related to occupational factors. Work-related stress was positively associated with psychological distress, but this relationship diminished in the absence of family members infected with COVID-19. Conversely, a higher sense of coherence was protective against psychological distress, although this effect weakened in the absence of family members infected with COVID-19. The study highlights the high prevalence of psychological distress among Brazilian workers during the pandemic's early months. Work stress played a significant role, while sense of coherence appeared to mitigate mental health challenges. These findings highlight the need for targeted mental health interventions, particularly for workers facing both professional and family-related stressors during crises.
新冠疫情对劳动者的心理健康产生了重大影响。本研究旨在评估疫情初期巴西劳动者心理困扰的患病率，并探讨其相关因素。2020年4月至5月期间，采用在线问卷对2903名巴西劳动者进行了横断面研究，其中包括1752名非医护人员（NHCW）和1151名医护人员（HCW）。采用滚雪球抽样法招募参与者，并基于最初为西班牙人群创建并验证的工具，通过翻译和文化调适过程，使研究问卷适用于巴西人群。使用卡方检验或费舍尔精确检验以及曼-惠特尼检验，随后进行效应量测量，以检验NHCW和HCW之间的差异。使用多元线性回归模型分析心理困扰与预测变量之间的关联。72.6%（95%置信区间70.1-74.2%）的参与者存在心理困扰，NHCW和HCW之间未观察到显著差异。尽管32个变量在NHCW和HCW之间显示出统计学上的显著差异，但只有7个变量具有临床流行病学相关性，主要与职业因素有关。工作相关压力与心理困扰呈正相关，但在没有家庭成员感染新冠病毒的情况下，这种关系减弱。相反，更高的连贯感对心理困扰具有保护作用，尽管在没有家庭成员感染新冠病毒的情况下，这种作用会减弱。该研究强调了在疫情初期巴西劳动者中心理困扰的高患病率。工作压力起到了重要作用，而连贯感似乎减轻了心理健康挑战。这些发现凸显了针对性心理健康干预措施的必要性，特别是对于在危机期间面临职业和家庭相关压力源的劳动者。
