Atividade laboral como contexto de sofrimento e adoecimento psíquico: análise dos servidores públicos em instituição federal brasileira de ensino superior

Abstract

This research work aimed to describe relevant aspects concerning mental health, psychological suffering and labor activity in the context of technical workers engaged in a Brazilian public federal university service. The main theoretical principle framing the present research established the centrality of working activity in building psychosocial identity of the individual, together with his/her subjectivity, health and both psychological and somatic illnesses. Previous research data indicate that mental illnesses and psychological suffering are among the most important aspects concerning suspension of working activity in Brazilian public service. Mental and behavioral conditions appear as disturbances justifying absence and medical license in Brazilian public service, corresponding to 60% of all mentioned causes of absence due to illnesses. In this context, the presented research performed both quantitative-descriptive and clinical-qualitative analysis of labor activity of public servants from Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte, having received formal working license due to medical reasons as registered by specific medical control service. These analysis corroborate previous epidemiological available data concerning elevated prevalence of mental and behavioral disturbances (TMC) among the whole list f medical licenses of work activity at local public service. TMC appeared as second-place more frequently mentioned justification for Health Care Treatment License in the period from 2012 to 2014. Clinical qualitative analysis, on the other hand, showed the potential of Clinic of Activity approach in order to both help explaining quantitative data and provide therapeutic support.