Quality of life and depression in professors in the health area

Context: Quality of life, in general terms, can be considered as the perception of expectations and ways of thinking about their satisfaction with life. Due to the accumulation and variety of their functions, such as workload, environment and work demand, teachers are exposed to major psychosocial risks, which can trigger overload and make them susceptible to work stress, which can lead to mental exhaustion and consequently lead to the depression. Objective: To analyze the quality of life (QoL) and depression in health professors at a public university in the state of Sergipe. Methods: Descriptive, cross-sectional study with a quantitative approach, carried out with 146 professors in the health area of the Federal University of Sergipe. Three data collection instruments were used, the Whoqol-Bref, the Beck Depression Inventory and a sociodemographic questionnaire. Data collection took place from February to November 2015. Data were analyzed descriptively and analytically. Results: Of the 146 professors evaluated in the health area, 58.2% were female, with a mean age of 44.44 years. The majority worked in an exclusive dedication regime (52.05%), and were dissatisfied with the conditions (70.5%) and salary remuneration (78.8%). Most professors had a positive perception of their quality of life (84.9%) and were satisfied with their health (67.8%). The prevalence of professors with depression was 29.5%, most of which were mild. Conclusions: Professors, in the majority, were satisfied with QoL and health. However, the prevalence of depression was high and there was an association with QoL, dissatisfaction with work conditions and leisure activities. Greater attention to professors in the health area by university management is recommended, with a view to developing health promotion actions in the university environment.