Brazilian multicentre study of common mental disorders in primary care: rates and related social and demographic factors

Abstract

Mental health problems are common in primary health care, particularly anxiety and depression. This study aims to estimate the prevalence of common mental disorders and their associations with socio-demographic characteristics in primary care in Brazil (Family Health Strategy). It involved a multicenter cross-sectional study with patients from Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo, Fortaleza (Ceará State) and Porto Alegre (Rio Grande do Sul State), assessed using the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12) and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HAD). The rate of mental disorders in patients from Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo, Fortaleza and Porto Alegre were found to be, respectively, 51.9%, 53.3%, 64.3% and 57.7% with significant differences between Porto Alegre and Fortaleza compared to Rio de Janeiro after adjusting for confounders. Prevalence proportions of mental problems were especially common for females, the unemployed, those with less education and those with lower incomes. In the context of the Brazilian government's moves towards developing primary health care and reorganizing mental health policies it is relevant to consider common mental disorders as a priority alongside other chronic health conditions.

Common mental disorders in medical students: A repeated cross-sectional study over six years

“…1 The prevalence of this disorder varies from 7 to 22% in the populations of industrialized countries and from 22 to 51.6% in Brazil. [2][3][4][5][6] Becoming a medical doctor is a highly complex process. Factors related to the student's personality that motivate their professional choice, the educational process and daily experience with pain and death inherent to the craft contribute to peculiar psycho-emotional experiences that are not always adequately investigated during medical training.…”

Common Mental Disorder Among Alcohol and Drug Abusers: A Cross-Sectional Study

“…[4][5][7][8] Of 174 studies, with a sample of 829,673 individuals from 63 countries, 155 showed that the prevalence of CMD was significant in 59 countries (17.6%; 95% CI 16.3-18.9%). 9 Anxiety and depression were found among CMD in people undergoing treatment for drug abuse.…”

“…In Central Brazil, the highest probability of CMD was present in one-third of the population interviewed (31.47%), followed by a higher prevalence in the Southeast region (51.9% to 53.3%), the Northeast region (64.3%) and the South region (57.7%). [6][7] In the United States, a lower prevalence was found, especially of depressive disorder (7%), specific phobia (7% to 9%), panic disorder (2% to 3%), obsessive-compulsive disorder (1.2%), and anxiety (11%). [4][5] Regarding the association of CMD with the use and abuse of drugs (licit and illicit), different geographic areas worldwide have discussed this situation.…”

“…Countries such as Brazil, England, Greece, South Africa, and other countries from Latin America and the Caribbean, found relevant associations regarding the coexistence of CMD and drug abuse. 3,[7][8][9][10] The fact that CMD show a high prevalence in the worldwide population indicates the need for further studies, especially to evaluate the probability of CMD associated with the use of licit and illicit psychoactive substances, thus favoring public knowledge and the development of health policies with a focus on the subject in question. [8][9]11 Therefore, the objective of the present study was to estimate the prevalence of the probability of CMD among abusers of alcohol and other drugs.…”

Avaliação da fidedignidade e validade do Mini - Rastreio de Transtornos Mentais (Mini-RTM)

“…As taxas variam de 51,9% a 64,3%, destacando a importância em identificar e tratar os possíveis casos (Gonçalves et al, 2014). A terminologia "transtornos mentais comuns" é bastante utilizada para caracterizar uma gama de transtornos que compartilham da mesma sintomatologia, como insônia, fadiga, irritabilidade, esquecimento, dificuldade de concentração e queixas somáticas Huxley, 1992).…”