0372/2024 - IDEAÇÃO SUICIDA ENTRE PROFESSORES DA EDUCAÇÃO BÁSICA EM MINAS GERAIS, BRASIL
SUICIDAL IDEATION AMONG SCHOOLTEACHERS IN MINAS GERAIS, BRAZIL
Autor:
• Rose Elizabeth Cabral Barbosa - Barbosa, R.E.C - <rosebarbosa.moc@gmail.com>ORCID: http://orcid.org/0000-0001-5383-0102
Coautor(es):
• Elke Oliveira Santos - Santos,E.O - <elkeoliveira010@gmail.com>ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6926-9567
• Giovanni Campos Fonseca - Fonseca, G.C - <giovannifonseca@gmail.com>
ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2503-1199
• Nayra Suze Souza e Silva - Souza e Silva, N.S - <nayrasss8@gmail.com>
ORCID: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-8420-0821
• Rosângela Ramos Veloso Silva - Silva, R.R.V - <rosaveloso9@gmail.com>
ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3329-8133
• Cristina Andrade Sampaio - Sampaio, C.A - <cristina.sampaio@unimontes.br>
ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9067-4425
• Desirée Sant’Ana Haikal - Haikal, D.S - <desireehaikal@gmail.com>
ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0331-0747
Resumo:
O objetivo foi estimar a prevalência de ideação suicida e fatores associados entre professores da educação básica da rede pública estadual de Minas Gerais, no momento de retomada das atividades presenciais de ensino pós-pandemia da Covid-19. Trata-se de um estudo transversal que analisou dados do baseline de um inquérito do tipo websurvey denominado Projeto ProfSMinas. A variável dependente – ideação suicida – foi avaliada por meio da resposta a uma das questões do Self Reporting Questionnaire-20. As variáveis independentes incluíram características sociodemográficas, características do trabalho e emprego, situação de saúde e hábitos/comportamentos. Associações brutas e ajustadas entre as variáveis foram estimadas por meio de regressão logística. Participaram 1.907 professores e a prevalência de ideação suicida foi de 5,6%. O modelo final ajustado evidenciou maiores chances de ideação suicida entre os homens, aqueles sem companheiro(a), com diagnóstico prévio de depressão, aqueles com alterações do sono e os professores que utilizavam em excesso os smartphones. Os resultados indicam a importância de ampliar estratégias voltadas à comunidade escolar para prevenção do comportamento suicida, considerando os riscos aos quais os professores estão expostos.Palavras-chave:
Professores Escolares; Saúde do Trabalhador; Suicídio; Saúde Mental; Inquéritos EpidemiológicosAbstract:
The objective was to estimate the prevalence of suicidal ideation and associated factors among schoolteachers of public schools in the state of Minas Gerais, Brazil, at the time of resumption of in-person teaching activities post-Covid-19 pandemic. This is a cross-sectional study that analyzed datathe baseline of a web survey named ProfSMinas Project. The dependent variable – suicidal ideation – was assessed through the answer to one of the questions in the Self Reporting Questionnaire-20. Independent variables included sociodemographic characteristics, work and employment characteristics, health status and habits/behaviors. Crude and adjusted associations between variables were estimated using logistic regression, in bivariate and multiple analyses. A total of 1,907 teachers participated and the prevalence of suicidal ideation was 5.6%. The final adjusted model showed a higher chance of suicidal ideation among male, those who lived alone, with a previous diagnosis of depression, those with sleep changes and schoolteachers who used smartphones excessively. The results indicate the importance of expanding strategies aimed at the school community to prevent suicidal behavior, considering the risks to which teachers are exposed.Keywords:
School Teachers; Occupational Health; Suicide; Mental Health; Health SurveysConteúdo:
Acessar Revista no ScieloOutros idiomas:
SUICIDAL IDEATION AMONG SCHOOLTEACHERS IN MINAS GERAIS, BRAZIL
Resumo (abstract):
The objective was to estimate the prevalence of suicidal ideation and associated factors among schoolteachers of public schools in the state of Minas Gerais, Brazil, at the time of resumption of in-person teaching activities post-Covid-19 pandemic. This is a cross-sectional study that analyzed datathe baseline of a web survey named ProfSMinas Project. The dependent variable – suicidal ideation – was assessed through the answer to one of the questions in the Self Reporting Questionnaire-20. Independent variables included sociodemographic characteristics, work and employment characteristics, health status and habits/behaviors. Crude and adjusted associations between variables were estimated using logistic regression, in bivariate and multiple analyses. A total of 1,907 teachers participated and the prevalence of suicidal ideation was 5.6%. The final adjusted model showed a higher chance of suicidal ideation among male, those who lived alone, with a previous diagnosis of depression, those with sleep changes and schoolteachers who used smartphones excessively. The results indicate the importance of expanding strategies aimed at the school community to prevent suicidal behavior, considering the risks to which teachers are exposed.Palavras-chave (keywords):
School Teachers; Occupational Health; Suicide; Mental Health; Health SurveysLer versão inglês (english version)
Conteúdo (article):
SUICIDAL IDEATION AMONG BASIC EDUCATION TEACHERS IN MINAS GERAIS, BRAZILName: Rose Elizabeth Cabral Barbosa
E-mail: rosebarbosa.moc@gmail.com
ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5383-0102
Institution: Universidade Estadual de Montes Claros, Minas Gerais, Brasil
Name: Elke Oliveira Santos
E-mail: elkeoliveira010@gmail.com
ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6926-9567
Institution: Universidade Estadual de Montes Claros, Minas Gerais, Brasil
Name: Giovanni Campos Fonseca
E-mail: giovannifonseca@gmail.com
ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2503-1199
Institution: Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Campus Montes Claros, Montes Claros, Minas Gerais, Brasil
Name: Nayra Suze Souza e Silva
E-mail: nayrasusy@hotmail.com
ORCID: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-8420-0821
Institution: Universidade Estadual de Montes Claros, Minas Gerais, Brasil
Name: Rosângela Ramos Veloso Silva
E-mail: rosaveloso9@gmail.com
ORCID: http://orcid.org/0000-0003-3329-8133
Institution: Universidade Estadual de Montes Claros, Minas Gerais, Brasil
Name: Cristina Andrade Sampaio
E-mail: cristina.sampaio@unimontes.br
ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9067-4425
Institution: Universidade Estadual de Montes Claros, Minas Gerais, Brasil
Name: Desirée Sant’Ana Haikal
E-mail: desireehaikal@gmail.com
ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0331-0747
Institution: Universidade Estadual de Montes Claros, Minas Gerais, Brasil
Corresponding author:
Name: Rose Elizabeth Cabral Barbosa
Address: Rua Mauro Araújo Moreira, 902/201, Augusta Mota, Montes Claros, MG, CEP 39.403-449
E-mail: rosebarbosa.moc@gmail.com
ABSTRACT
The present study aimed to estimate the prevalence of suicidal ideation and associated factors among elementary school teachers in the public school system of the state of Minas Gerais, Brazil, at the time of the resumption of in-person teaching activities after the COVID-19 pandemic. This is a cross-sectional study that analyzed baseline data from a web survey entitled the ProfSMinas Project. The dependent variable – suicidal ideation – was assessed by responding to one of the questions on the Self-Reporting Questionnaire-20. The independent variables included sociodemographic characteristics, work and employment characteristics, health status, and habits/behaviors. Crude and adjusted associations between the variables were estimated using logistic regression. A total of 1,907 teachers participated, and the prevalence of suicidal ideation was 5.6%. The final adjusted model showed greater chances of suicidal ideation among men, those without a partner, those with a previous diagnosis of depression, those with sleep disorders, and teachers who used smartphones excessively. The results indicate the importance of expanding strategies aimed at the school community to prevent suicidal behavior, considering the risks to which teachers are exposed.
Keywords: School Teachers; Occupational Health; Suicide; Mental Health; Health Surveys
INTRODUCTION
Suicide is defined as a social phenomenon based on the degree of cohesion between individuals and society, as well as the way in which individuals are affected by the communities in which they live1-4. Therefore, though defined as an act performed by the victim him/herself, suicide would not be the result of a merely individual motivation, but rather an act stemming from social causes1,3,4 in interaction with biological, psychological, environmental, and cultural factors5. ‘Suicidal behavior’ is the term used to describe the set of voluntary actions related to self-extermination5-7. It is classified as fatal – suicide itself – and non-fatal, in the form of suicidal attempts and ideations2. Suicidal ideation is the feeling of being tired of life or that life is not worth living, which leads the individual to contemplate self-extermination. Such thoughts present themselves in different degrees of intensity and can become more serious if a plan is drawn up to achieve the goal of ending one’s own life2,7.
Epidemiological studies have helped to estimate the prevalence of suicidal ideation and identify risk factors that indicate vulnerabilities in specific groups. In the general population, a prevalence of 5.3% of suicidal ideation was observed in the 12 months prior to the survey and 17.1% throughout life in a city in the countryside of the state of São Paulo, Brazil.8 A study carried out with approximately 85,000 individuals from seventeen different countries indicated a prevalence of 9.2%,9 while the rate among residents of rural settlements in the state of Piauí was 13.4%.10 A study carried out in Ireland identified differences in the prevalence of suicidal ideation between women and men: 10.6 and 7.0%, respectively.11 During the period of social isolation due to the COVID-19 pandemic, a prevalence of 5.2% was observed among 5,116 adults in Greece12.
Among adolescents from 82 countries, the overall prevalence was 14.0%, ranging from 8.0% in Asian countries to 21.0% in African countries13, while among Chilean adolescents, the prevalence was even higher, reaching 65.6%14. A study conducted with high school and college students from Montes Claros, Minas Gerais, identified a prevalence of suicidal ideation of 11.6% and 9.8%, respectively15. It is possible to observe that the prevalence records vary according to the studied population; however, the different groups share characteristics that are associated with the outcome.
The factors most frequently associated with suicidal ideation include: being female8-11,13-16, being a young adult8,9, being single or living alone9,12,15, having sleep disorders15,16, having a history of mental disorders9,10-12,15,16, and using substances11,15. Among adolescents, there is also an association with excessive internet use15, interpersonal conflicts and aggression13,14, episodes of bullying14, lack of close friendships or feelings of isolation and loneliness13.
Studies investigating suicidal ideation among teachers indicated prevalence rates of 4.7% among municipal schoolteachers in the countryside of the state of Rio Grande do Sul17; 5.5% among elementary schoolteachers in the countryside of the state of Alagoas18, and 14.0% among French university professors19. The associated factors observed were diagnosis of chronic illness, having suffered harassment, inability to discuss work problems with colleagues, poor quality of sleep, and feeling undervalued by colleagues and family19.
In view of this scenario, it is important to investigate suicidal ideation among teachers for different reasons. The teaching category, especially in basic education, is primarily comprised of women. According to the School Census, in 2021, female teachers represented 96.3% of all professionals in early childhood education, 88.1% in elementary education, and 57.7% in high school education. The age group with the highest concentration, considering both women and men, was 30 to 49 years of age20. Mental disorders are the third most common cause of absence from work among teachers in Brazil21, a situation that has been aggravated by the COVID-19 pandemic22. One study, conducted with 15,641 elementary school teachers from Minas Gerais, found that 25.9% had received a medical diagnosis of depression and/or anxiety during the pandemic, of whom 30.4% were using sleeping pills, antidepressants or tranquilizers; 33.4% began to have sleep problems during the period; and 7.1% were consuming alcoholic beverages in larger quantities and more frequently than usual23.
There are numerous studies that have addressed the mental health of teachers at different stages of education. However, when considering issues involving suicidal behavior in the school environment, the focus is generally on students, which is justified by the fact that adolescents and young people have shown significant increases in the rates of such behavior24. In this regard, several studies and initiatives recognize teachers as privileged agents in the promotion of healthy environments, capable of identifying at-risk students25-27, without, however, considering the risk to which they are exposed in their teaching activities. Therefore, the present study aimed to estimate the prevalence of suicidal ideation, and the factors associated with it among elementary school teachers in the state public school system of Minas Gerais, at the time of the resumption of in-person teaching activities after the COVID-19 pandemic.
METHODS
This work is a cross-sectional epidemiological study that analyzed data from the first phase (baseline) of a web survey entitled ‘Health and working conditions of teachers in the state public school system of Minas Gerais: longitudinal study – ProfSMinas Project’.
The study population included approximately 90,000 basic education teachers – early childhood education, initial and final years of elementary school, and high school – working in approximately 3,500 state public schools in Minas Gerais (data provided by the State Department of Education through the July 2021 payroll). The inclusion criterion was to have a position as a basic education teacher in a state school in Minas Gerais at the time of data collection.
To estimate the minimum sample required, a formula was used considering an infinite population; a prevalence of 50% in order to achieve a larger sample size and, consequently, a greater inference power for different outcomes; a tolerable error of 3%; and an increase of 20% in order to compensate for possible losses due to non-response rates. According to the calculation based on the aforementioned criteria, a sample of 1,282 teachers was necessary to guarantee a proper representation of the category in Minas Gerais.
Data collection took place between October 26 and December 31, 2021 (the period in which in-person teaching activities were being resumed in state schools), through an online form using the Google Forms platform. The invitation to participate in the survey, along with the link to the form, was sent by the Minas Gerais State Department of Education (SEE/MG) to all 47 Regional Education Superintendencies, requesting that the questionnaire be forwarded to the institutional emails of all teachers affiliated with state public schools.
The dependent variable – suicidal ideation – was assessed by answering (no; yes) to one of the questions on the Self Reporting Questionnaire (SRQ-20): Have you had thoughts of ending your own life?
The SRQ-20 is an instrument developed by the World Health Organization (WHO) to assess the suspected diagnosis of common mental disorders, characterized by the presence of insomnia, fatigue, forgetfulness, irritability, and difficulty concentrating. There are 20 questions distributed into four groups of symptoms: depressive-anxious mood, somatic symptoms, decreased vital energy, and depressive thoughts 28.
The independent variables included:
• Sociodemographic characteristics: sex (female; male); age (21 to 35 years; 36 to 45 years; 46 to 55 years; 56 years or older); self-declared skin color (white, black, brown, yellow, and indigenous); marital status (with partner, without partner), family income (1 to 3 minimum wages, 4 to 6 minimum wages, 7 minimum wages or more); and main financial provider of the family (no; yes).
• Characteristics of work and employment: employment relationship (hired/appointed, public examination/permanent); length of service as a teacher (up to 10 years, 11 to 20 years, 21 years or more); weekly working hours (up to 39 hours, 40 hours or more); other paid employment (no; yes, teaching at another school; yes, in another activity); psychological demands of work (low, high); control over work (low, high); and social support at work (low, high).
Occupational stress was assessed through responses to the Job Stress Scale (JSS). The summarized and validated Portuguese version29 was used, which contains 17 questions that deal with the dimensions of psychological demand, control, and social support at work. Five questions assess psychological demands, including quantitative aspects, such as time, concentration levels and speed of carrying out work activities, and qualitative aspects, such as task interruptions and contradictions. Six questions deal with the control that workers have over their own work, that is, autonomy in deciding whether or not to carry out the work, along with the possibility of mobilization and development of skills. Another six questions assess the third dimension, social support, which indicates the level of social interaction between workers and their colleagues, in addition to the relationship with their superiors. The response options for each of the dimensions are presented on a Likert scale (1-4), and the average sum of each was used to define the groups of high/low demand, high/low control, as well as high/low social support29.
• Health status and habits/behaviors: medical diagnosis of depression in the 12 months prior to the survey (no; yes); medical diagnosis of anxiety in the 12 months prior to the survey (no; yes); current smoker (no; yes); alcohol consumption (no; yes); sleep disturbance (no; yes); and excessive smartphone use (no; yes).
The variable ‘sleep disturbance’ was obtained through the answers to two questions: 1) Have you been losing a lot of sleep lately because you are worried about something? (not at all; no more than usual; a little more than usual; much more than usual); and 2) Over the last month, how would you rate the quality of your sleep in general? (very good; good; poor; very poor). Teachers who answered ‘a little more than usual’ or ‘much more than usual’ in the first question and who rated their sleep quality as poor or very poor in the second question were considered ‘yes’ to sleep disorders.
Excessive smartphone use was assessed through responses to the Smartphone Addiction Inventory (SPAI-BR), an instrument comprised of 26 items with yes and no response options. The total score obtained by adding the items ranges from 0 to 26 points, and the cut-off point of 9 or more positive responses was used to identify excessive use30.
Data analysis was conducted using the statistical program STATA, version 13.0. First, a descriptive analysis of the population was performed, estimating the relative frequencies according to the categories of the study variables, and the prevalence of suicidal ideation in the sample was calculated. The next step was to estimate the prevalence of suicidal ideation according to the categories of each of the independent variables and, through logistic regression, a bivariate analysis was performed to verify the existence of gross associations between the investigated outcome and the independent variables. The variables that presented a p-value ≤ 0.20 in the bivariate analyses were selected to compose the adjusted multiple models and were then removed, one by one, until only the variables associated with suicidal ideation at the level of p ≤ 0.05 remained in the final model.
The Hosmer-Lemeshow test was used to assess the quality of the adjustment of the final model. A high p-value indicates that there are no significant differences between the probabilities predicted by the model and the values observed in the database under analysis, characterizing a good fit of the model to the data.
The project was approved by the Ethics Committee of the State University of Montes Claros (Opinion No. 4,964,125, 09/10/2021), and all participants, including both male and female teachers, received the Free and Informed Consent Form when accessing the research form.
RESULTS
Of the 1,982 forms received, 57 respondents who did not hold a position as a primary school teacher in a state school in Minas Gerais were excluded, and 18 individuals did not agree to participate in the survey. Therefore, the responses from 1,907 valid forms were analyzed, considering the sample of 1,282 individuals needed to ensure representation of the category in the state of Minas Gerais, as detailed in the previous section.
Among the respondents, 77.2% were women; ages ranged from 21 to 72 years (mean 44.4 years, SD ± 9.4); 54.4% self-identified as white; 60.8% lived with a partner; half of them had a family income of 1 to 3 minimum wages; and 59.9% were the main breadwinners for their families (TABLE 1).
Regarding work and employment characteristics, 57.5% were civil servants or permanent employees at the state school; 59.2% had been teaching for 15 years or less; 65.7% worked up to 39 hours a week; and 67.0% had no other paid job. Approximately half of the teachers were under occupational stress: high psychological demand (51.5%), low control over work (53.0%), and low social support from colleagues and superiors (53.2%) (TABLE 1).
Regarding the health status of the teachers investigated in this study, 13.1% and 38.6% reported a medical diagnosis of depression and anxiety, respectively, in the 12 months prior to the survey. Regarding habits and behaviors, 6.0% were current smokers and 12.0% reported consuming at least 4 doses of alcoholic beverages on the occasions when they drank; 34.6% had sleep disorders; and 18.5% used their smartphone excessively (TABLE 1).











