Características do trabalho e suas implicações nas condições de saúde mental de guardas civis municipais na cidade de Alagoinhas – Ba

Abstract

Characteristics of the work of Municipal Civilian Guards (MCG) may be indicative of mental illness, such as depression, anxiety and stress, constituting psychosocial aspects relevant to the investigation of the health conditions of these professionals. The goal of this study was to elaborate an indicative map of mental illness in the work context of municipal civil guards of a city in the inland of Bahia. This is a correlational, descriptive, quantitative and transversal study. 95 Municipal Civilian Guards were part of this research, and they answered in person a survey containing sociodemographic questions, life habits, depression, anxiety and stress symptoms assessment scale (DASS-21) and the assessment scale of work characteristics (control over work, physical and psychological demands, job insecurity and social support) - JCQ (Karasek, 1993; Araújo e Karasek, 2008). The analysis was descriptive and inferential, by means of frequency, percentage, mean, and standard deviation. Correlational analysis was performed using Spearman's non-parametric ρ test and comparative analyses using the chi-square (2) test for independence (2x4 and 2x5). Effect size was calculated using Cramer's V (a measure of association between two variables measured on a categorical scale). The results indicated low prevalence rates of symptoms of depression (20%), anxiety (19%), and stress (19%) among the participants, and no statistical significance in comparisons involving the symptomatology of depression, anxiety, and stress with the psychological and physical demands groups, as well as those concerning job insecurity and social support. The effect size of these comparisons (Cramer's V values) ranged from V2= 0.04 (job insecurity and stress) and V2=0.28 (job insecurity and anxiety). We conclude that the results found point to important issues allusive to the work context and the health of these professionals and stimulate new investigations for a better understanding of this professional category. Although, the levels of illness among the civil guards are low when compared to the rates indicated in the scientific literature on this topic. This result can be justified due to the nature of the task they develop; in this study, specifically, the great majority of the participants have administrative functions (coordination, radio central, and asset management). Another factor to be considered is the prejudice and the stigmatized view related to mental illness and the agents' resistance to assume their illness (masculinity). As well as, the "imaginary construction of superpowered figures" that these professionals have in relation to their profession, since, among public security agents, there is a prevalence of the virility discourse that disregards emotional illness. Thus, it is necessary to think about the health problems (physical and mental) that affect this group of workers and offer subsidies to the Public Security institutions for the creation of action plans that contemplate health promotion programs for this professional category, in order to minimize and/or prevent this illness from increasing.