Psychosocial factors and common mental disorders in telework in the labor judiciary during the COVID-19 pandemic

Abstract

The aim of this study was to assess the relationship between psychosocial factors in telework and the prevalence of common mental disorders in a Brazilian labor court during the COVID-19 pandemic. A cross-sectional study was carried out with 119 judges and 934 civil servants between August and October 2021. The psychosocial work factors were assessed using the domains of demands, control and social support of the revised version of the Maastricht Upper Extremity Questionnaire and common mental disorders were assessed using the Self-Reporting Questionnaire. The prevalence ratios of common mental disorders according to psychosocial work factors were obtained using Poisson regression with robust variance. Judges and civil servants had a prevalence of common mental disorders of 45.38% and 36.94%, respectively, considering the 6/7 cut-off point. The highest prevalences of common mental disorders were associated with high work demands, especially when social support was lower in both groups. The results of this study suggest to the judiciary and other sectors the need to develop actions aimed at reducing work demands and promoting adequate social support to preserve mental health in teleworking.