COMMON MENTAL DISORDERS IN PRIMARY HEALTH CARE DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC

• DOI: 10.22533/at.ed.1593102307028

• Palavras-chave: Common mental disorders. Prevalence. Primary Health Care. COVID-19.

• Keywords: Common mental disorders. Prevalence. Primary Health Care. COVID-19.

• Abstract:

  Common mental disorders (CMD) are highly prevalent and, when not properly treated, have the potential to harm both the affected individual and the people around him. The theme has become even more relevant nowadays, when facing the COVID-19 pandemic, with social isolation and uncertainties about the disease, as stressors capable of affecting the mental health of the population. Even before the pandemic, the prevalence of CMD was already high. The objective of this research was to estimate the prevalence of CMD in the population assisted in Basic Health Units in the northern district of Ribeirão Preto - SP. The SRQ-20 questionnaire was applied to 250 patients treated at two Family Health Units in the northern district of Ribeirão Preto - SP. The cutoff point for the diagnosis was 7/8, as it has greater sensitivity and specificity for CMD screening in Brazil. Convenience sampling was used, from May to June 2021. The prevalence of CMD in the reference population was estimated by constructing a 95% confidence interval for a population proportion. Data refer to interviews with 162 (64.8%) women and 88 (35.2%) men, with a mean age of 46.7 years. The prevalence of CMD was 25.6% (95% CI = 20.18% - 31.02%). The average score found in the questionnaire was 5.2 points, and the most frequent problems were: nervousness, tension or worry (66%), feeling sad lately (41%) and sleeping poorly (38%). Thus, the prevalence of CMD in the population assisted in Primary Health Care in the northern district of Ribeirão Preto is considered relevant in the scenario of the pandemic.