Abstract

This study aimed to evaluate the satisfaction and burden of mental health professionals in a medium-sized municipality in São Paulo, Brazil. A quantitative-qualitative study was conducted using the Mental Health Services Professional Satisfaction Rating Scale and the Mental Health Services Professional Burden Rating Scale for quantitative data. In addition, qualitative data were obtained through the analysis of minutes of the Research Steering Committee meetings with the support of the NVivo Release 1.3 software. The results revealed that mental health professionals experienced less overload in services in their area but were dissatisfied with their work. Although satisfaction was relatively higher in the Alcohol and Drugs Psychosocial Care Centers and Psychosocial Care Centers II compared to the outpatient clinic, these differences were not statistically significant. In short, the findings indicate that greater dissatisfaction and less overload are not independent events and corroborate other studies. The triangulation of data sources contributed to a broader understanding of the topic, highlighting the importance of considering the satisfaction and burden of professionals in improving mental health care.

Keywords:
research on health services; mental health; comunity mental health services; occupational health