"Num pequeno recanto do Brasil": Vulnerabilidades em saúde e "doença dos nervos" em mulheres do Sertão paraibano

Abstract

Common Mental Disorder (CMD), called “nerve disease” in popular classesrefers, to a suffering that presents somatic, depressive and anxious complaints, which is generally associated with the most impoverished classes, especially among women, due to the precarious living conditions, which can be aggravated in rural contexts. Considering this reality, we ask: What is the prevalence of CMD in women living in a rural context in the hinterland of Paraíba? From your life stories, what individual, social and programmatic elements collaborated to make oneself vulnerable to nerve disease? In this sense, the study had the general objective of investigating the prevalence of Common Mental Disorder (CMD) and health vulnerabilities of women living in a rural city in the hinterland of Paraíba. There were two empirical studies, one of qualitative nature and the other of quantitative nature. In the quantitative study, the objective was to analyze the prevalence of Common Mental Disorder (CMD) and its association with sociodemographic variables, lifestyle and mental health care in women living in a rural city in the hinterland of Paraíba. 210 women aged between 20 and 89 years (M = 47.45; SD = 17.25), living in the city of Bom Jesus, Paraíba, participated. The prevalence of CMD was 35.7%, with the most frequent symptoms related to depressive/anxious mood and somatic complaints. The presence of CMD was associated with variables such as low education (χ2(gl) = 13.18(3); p = 0.004); profession (housewives) (χ2(gl) = 11.53(5); p = 0.042); marital status (married/living together) (χ2(gl) = 9.35(3); p = 0.025); non-performance of physical activities (χ2(gl) = 8.59(2); p = 0.014); being a victim of violence (χ2(gl) = 17.37(1); p<0.001). Recognizing yourself as an ill of the nerves, hearing comments from neighbors about suffering from such a condition, the use of psychotropics, and consultations with psychologists and psychiatrists were also statistically associated with CMD. The qualitative study whose objective was to analyze the elements (individual, social and programmatic) of vulnerability to nerve disease, from the life stories of women from the hinterland of Paraíba, had the participation of 12 women, aged between 28 and 63 years. For data collection, semi-structured interviews were used, based on the Life Story method. The data were analyzed through content analysis, proposed by Bardin. From the interviews, 05 categories and 22 subcategories were listed, which were composed of 295 cutouts from the speeches, and portrayed the elements and situations that contributed to greater vulnerability to nerve disease such as gender inequality, violence, childcare, among others, and coping ways. The somatic symptoms were described in all statements, and the main strategy used was the use of psychotropic medications. From these results, it is possible to conclude that women in the rural city analyzed constantly experience elements and situations that make them susceptible to this illness.