A forma??o profissional e a perce??o de saúde mental dos trabalhadores: estudo comparativo em situa??o de (des)emprego

摘要

OLIVEIRA, Joaquim Eurico Valentim; PINTO, José Fernando Vasconcelos Cabral ?and? BARROS, Rita Manuela de Almeida. Vocational training and workers' mental health awareness: a comparative study in an (un)employment situation. Rev. bras. saúde ocup. [online]. 2014, vol.39, n.129, pp.111-118. ISSN 0303-7657.? http://dx.doi.org/10.1590/0303-7657000068912.Background:the present reconfiguration of the labor market arises in the context of new economic, social and historical events, characterized by complexity, uncertainty, unpredictability and acceleration.Objective:given the psychosocial adaptation required by this context, the present study intends to distinguish workers' self-perception concerning their mental health, according to their participation in vocational training programs, whether they are employed or unemployed.Methods:to achieve this purpose we interviewed 210 workers. To evaluate self-perceived mental health, a Portuguese adaptation of the General Health Questionnaire (G.H.Q.-28) was used .Results:results evidenced significant differences in workers' mental health self-perception. These differences were related to the workers' attendance in vocational programs, with advantage for those attending courses, whether men or women (t=-4.503; p<0.001 and t=-4.737; p<0.001), employed or unemployed (t=-5.551; p<0.001 and t=-2.458; p<0.05). It was also found that the employed workers who continued to join vocational training offers had a significantly more favorable mental health self perception (t=-5.138; p<0.001).Conclusion:results support the hypothesis that involvement in vocational training activities functions as a protective element for workers' mental health.