Prevalência de estresse em agentes penitenciários de um presídio do norte do Rio Grande Do Sul e fatores associados

Abstract

Introduction: Studies on work and health in prisons in the state of Rio Grande do Sul are rare. The existing scientific literature indicates that working in these institutions can be a source of stress. Objectives: To describe the prevalence of stress in correctional officers in a prison in the north of Rio Grande do Sul. Methods: Cross-sectional study. Conducted with prison officers from a prison in the north of Rio Grande do Sul, between March and April 2022, a standardized questionnaire was used via the online form of the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-14) to measure stress. Results: 50 correctional officers participated. The prevalence of stress found was 96%. The sample was male (78%), age between 31 to 40 years old (46%), white (82%), who consume alcoholic beverages two to four times a month, (40%), with complete higher education (56%) and the most active servers with (70%). Conclusions: The present study found a very worrying prevalence of stress. This may be related to some characteristics of the worker (gender, age) or to the type of function performed in the prison system. The need for an approach focused on mental health within the scope of workers in the penitentiary system should be discussed in order to improve the health of these professionals. The particularity of the present study refers to the work and environment of a prison in the north of Rio Grande do Sul and that as the relationship between the server and the type of work performed is related to a higher prevalence of stress.