Risk and protective factors for noncommunicable chronic diseases among primary education teachers

Abstract Objective: to describe the prevalence of risk and protective factors for noncomunicable chronic diseases (NCD) and test the association of these factors with sex, age, and job satisfaction among public primary and secondary schools teachers. Methods: analytical cross-sectional study in Montes Claros, MG, Brazil, carried out in 2016. We applied the probability cluster sampling technique. We used a self-applicable questionnaire and physical evaluations. We estimated Prevalence ratios (PR) and 95% Confidence Intervals (95%CI) using Poisson’s regression. Results: of the 745 participants, 83% were women, 81% were 49 years old or younger, and 60% were unsatisfied with work. Smoking was more prevalent among men (PR: 2.33; 95%CI: 1.13;4.81), as well as alcohol abuse (PR: 7.24; 95%CI: 2.19;23.91), overweight (PR:1.48; 95%CI: 1.04;2.13), lower prevalence of depressive symptoms (PR: 0.93; 95%CI: 0.88;0.98) and stress (PR: 0.88; 95%CI: 0.82;0.95). Older teachers had a lower prevalence of burnout (PR: 0.87; 95%CI: 0.81;0.94) and a higher prevalence of protective behaviors, despite having a greater impairment of physical health. Unsatisfied teachers showed higher prevalence of depressive symptoms (PR: 2.52; 95%CI: 1.61;3.93), stress (PR: 1.76; 95%CI: 1.33;2.32), and burnout (PR: 9.20; 95%CI: 4.46;18.99). Conclusions: smoking, alcoholism, overweight, and mental health impairment were frequent risk factors for NCD among teachers. Differences were observed in the prevalence of risk and protection factors for NCD according to sex, age, and job satisfaction.