A crescente incidência de doenças mentais em trabalhadores está entre as primeiras causas de incapacidade, tendo sido assunto de diversas pesquisas. Seguindo essa linha, o estudante do curso de Medicina, Leonardo Rabelo de Melo participou do Congresso Brasileiro de Saúde Mental, que aconteceu de 7 a 9 de junho, no Centro de Convenções do Ceará e na Universidade de Fortaleza (UNIFOR). Na oportunidade, ele apresentou o trabalho Doença mental em militares da Força Aérea Brasileira, lotados na cidade de Salvador-BA.

The research, which was carried out in conjunction with medical students Lívia Oliveira Albuquerque and Mayana Lessa de Oliveira and supervised by Professor Dr. Marlene Silva, was carried out between January and December 2009, with Air Force soldiers. Among the most common cases diagnosed, depressive episodes, recurrent depressive disorders and personality disorders stood out.

Check the results
There were 44 DM diagnoses (8,9%) in 31 soldiers (6,3%), with a frequency three times higher among women (15,4%), mainly in the age group from 21 to 31 years (8,1% ) and mixed race/color (9,5%). Non-drinkers and smokers had a higher proportion of DM (7,8% and 13,6%), respectively. DM stood out among 1st lieutenants (21,4%) and corporals (10,4%), with the most common cases of Depressive Episodes (n=7), Recurrent Depressive Disorders (n=7) and Personality Disorders ( n=6)

Conclusion
Thus, it appears that factors such as gender, race and rank/graduation are possible determinants of mental illness in the Brazilian Air Force, which is worrying because these workers are responsible for the safety of the nation's airspace.