Investigation of cases of work-related mental disorders in Brazil: an ecological study

The mental health of Brazilian workers is compromised, and work-related mental disorders are becoming increasingly common. Several factors may be associated with the rise in these cases, among which precarious work stands out as particularly relevant.

To describe the epidemiological profile of work-related mental disorders in Brazil between 2015 and 2024.

This is an ecological study, with a retrospective, descriptive and quantitative approach, which analyzed from the publicly available secondary data.

A total of 21,186 notifications were analyzed. Women accounted for 67% of the cases of work-related mental disorders, showing an upward annual trend. Furthermore, 60% of cases occurred among individuals with completed high school or higher education. In addition, 49% of the diagnoses corresponded to neurotic disorders, stress-related disorders, and somatoform disorders, whereas mood disorder and burnout syndrome accounted for approximately 27% of reported cases. The data also show that 56% of cases of work-related mental disorders progressed to temporary disability. Nonetheless, the study faced limitations due to the high proportion of missing or blank data in the reporting system.

Based on the information presented in this study, it becomes feasible to develop effective preventive strategies to protect workers' health and safety, as well as to reduce government expenditures.