Occupational stress and mental health in healthcare work: inequalities of gender and race

Background  The psychosocial aspects of work are sources of occupational stress, with impacts on mental health. This relationship can be determined by gender and race/skin color.

Objective  To evaluate the association between occupational stressors and mental health, focusing on gender and race/skin color inequalities among healthcare workers.

Method  Cross-sectional study with 3,084 healthcare workers from Bahia. Occupational stressors were assessed using the demand-control (CDM) model, using the Job Content Questionnaire. The outcome variable, common mental disorders (CDM), was assessed by the SRQ-20. A descriptive, bivariate, and multivariate analysis was carried out, stratified by gender and race/skin color.

Results  The prevalence of CMD was higher among women (black: 23.7%, and non-black: 19.6%) than among men (blacks: 17.6%, and non-blacks: 14.7%). There was an association of CMD with all groups of the MDC, for black women, and with active and highly demanding work among non-black women. Among men, the association was not statistically significant.

Conclusion  Differences in gender and race/skin color were observed in the occurrence of CMD and in the association with occupational stressors, with higher prevalence among women, especially black women.

Keywords:
psychosocial aspects at work; common mental disorder; gender; race; health workers