Social factors associated with mental disorders with risk situations in the primary health care

To evaluate patients with mental disorders, with or without risk situations, treated at primary health care (PHC) units.

A cross-sectional study was performed in samples of 240 patients living in a region of high social vulnerability in Belo Horizonte. The response variable was mental disorders with risk situations (MD-WR). The explanatory variables were gender, age, marital status, literacy, education, employment, social benefits and per capita income. Instruments from Berkman and Syme (social network), Sherbourne and Stewart (social support), adapted for Brazil, were applied. Pearson's χ2 test and binary logistic regression were used for the adjusted analyzes.

The factors associated with MD-WR were being male (OR = 3.62; 95%CI 1.84-7.09); having "up to one confident relative" only (OR = 2.53; 95%CI 1.18-5.42); being "not able to return home" when away from their living area (OR = 3.49; 95%CI 1.40-8.71). The reduction in the affective dimension of the Medical Outcomes Study (MOS) scale increases the chance of MD-WR.

The availability and access to social and support networks are lower for patients with MD-WR and need to be strengthened to promote autonomy and citizenship among its users. We conclude that there is the need of public policies to increase the availability of social networking equipment and social support projects, encouraging the participation of families.