Self-reported history of physician-diagnosed asthma and common mental disorders among civil servants at a public university in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil: the Pro-Saude Study

This study investigates the association between history of asthma and common mental disorders among employees at a public university in the State of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Phase 1 cross-sectional data from a cohort study (the Pro-Saude Study) were collected from 4,030 employees. Asthma was ascertained by Self-reported medical diagnosis, and the occurrence of common mental disorders was based on the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12). Generalized linear models were used to calculate prevalence rates. Asthma prevalence was 11% (444), of whom 39.7% (176) presented common mental disorders. History of asthma was associated with higher income (p = 0.01) and female gender (p = 0.01). The analysis adjusted by gender, age, and per capita income revealed an association between asthma and common mental disorders (PR = 1.37; 95%CI: 1.22-1.55). Employees with less than 10 years since their asthma diagnosis showed a higher prevalence of common mental disorders (PR = 1.88; 95%CI. 1.32-2.70). These findings suggest that multidisciplinary teams should consider emotional aspects of asthma patients, especially those recently diagnosed.