Investigation of cases of work-related mental disorders in Brazil: an ecological study.

Introduction: The mental health of Brazilian workers is compromised, and work-related mental disorders are becoming increasingly common. Several factors may be associated with the rise in these cases, among which precarious work stands out as particularly relevant. Objectives: To describe the epidemiological profile of work-related mental disorders in Brazil between 2015 and 2024. Methods: This is an ecological study, with a retrospective, descriptive and quantitative approach, which analyzed from the publicly available secondary data. Results: A total of 21,186 notifications were analyzed. Women accounted for 67% of the cases of work-related mental disorders, showing an upward annual trend. Furthermore, 60% of cases occurred among individuals with completed high school or higher education. In addition, 49% of the diagnoses corresponded to neurotic disorders, stress-related disorders, and somatoform disorders, whereas mood disorder and burnout syndrome accounted for approximately 27% of reported cases. The data also show that 56% of cases of work-related mental disorders progressed to temporary disability. Nonetheless, the study faced limitations due to the high proportion of missing or blank data in the reporting system. Conclusions: Based on the information presented in this study, it becomes feasible to develop effective preventive strategies to protect workers' health and safety, as well as to reduce government expenditures.