Análise do estresse percebido em profissionais de segurança pública no Brasil

Introduction: public security professionals are exposed to high levels of stress due to their constant engagement with traumatic events such as violence and threats. This stress can negatively impact their mental and physical health. Objective: this study aimed to assess the levels of perceived stress among public security professionals in Brazil, Espírito Santo State, considering variables such as sex, police force type, and location of operation, in order to identify factors associated with chronic stress. Methods: a cross-sectional observational study was conducted with 1,563 public security personnel, using the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-14) to measure stress levels. Data were collected online, and statistical analyses were performed using the chi-squared test to identify associations between the variables. Results: the study found that stress was more prevalent among women (81.8%) than among men (71.4%) and more pronounced among military police officers (76.7%) compared to public safety professionals from other forces (65.2%), such as the fire department, the civil police, the federal highway police, the federal police, and the municipal civil guard. Conclusion: factors such as sex and police force type are significantly associated with perceived stress among public security professionals. These findings highlight the need for psychological support policies and stress management programs to enhance the health and well-being of these professionals.