Mental Health and Work

The Right to Workers’ Mental Health as a Challenge for Social Policies

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.62530/rbdc25p350477

Keywords:

Occupational stress. Mental health services. Social determinants of health

Abstract

Context: Workers’ mental health has become a central challenge for social policies, given the intensification of working hours, precarious conditions and new forms of organizational control, which weaken social bonds and increase psychological suffering; Problem: despite the relevance of the topic, the state response remains fragmented and reactive, focused on social security leaves and judicialization, revealing shortcomings in preventive and protective actions; Objectives: to analyze how mental health can be incorporated into social and development policies, considering work as a space of dignity rather than illness; Methods: qualitative study based on bibliographic and documentary review (2012–2025), focusing on research on CAPS and CREAS workers, in dialogue with national frameworks (SUS/RAPS, PNSTT) and international references (WHO/ILO); Results: invisibility of psychosocial risks, insufficient preventive measures, shortage of care resources and occupational protocols, in addition to professional overload, were identified, which are associated with burnout, anxiety and depression, with the use of legal channels to guarantee minimum rights and difficulty in accessing therapies; national and international experiences show that integrating mental health, decent work and social protection enhances citizenship and dignity; Conclusions: recognizing mental health as a human right and a strategic axis of social policies requires coordinated investments in prevention, protection and promotion, strengthening RAPS and occupational surveillance/management, combating stigma and intersectoral articulation for fairer, healthier and more inclusive workplaces.

Author Biographies

  • Maria Cristina Pontes de Oliveira, Santa Cecília University

    Lawyer, graduated in Law from Universidade Metropolitana de Santos (1998). Completed specialization in Criminal Law and Criminal Procedure at the Portuguese Bar Association (Ordem dos Advogados de Lisboa). Currently pursuing a Master’s degree in Health Law at Universidade Santa Cecília de Santos. Holds 26 years of experience in the legal field (criminal, labor, and civil law, both litigation and advisory), having worked in law firms specializing in these areas. Academic experience includes teaching undergraduate Law courses and coordinating internship programs at the Experimental Law Office of Universidade Metropolitana de Santos (UNIMES) and Universidade Paulista (UNIP).
    Lattes CV: https://lattes.cnpq.br/6428465400455203
    E-mail: mariacristina.pontes@aasp.org.br

  • Rosa Maria Ferreiro Pinto, Santa Cecília University

    Bachelor’s degree in Social Work from the Catholic University of Santos (1973), Master’s (1984) and Ph.D. (1996) in Social Work from the Pontifical Catholic University of São Paulo. Member of the Editorial Board of Beco da Azougue Publishing House. Served as Director of the School of Social Work (1990–1998) and as Academic Vice-Rector (2002–2005). Coordinated the Master’s Program in Public Health from January 2000 to December 2002 and from January 2006 to December 2009, and was a professor in the Graduate Program in Public Health (Master’s and Doctorate) from 2000 to 2013. Experienced in the Health field, with an emphasis on Living Conditions and Health, working mainly on the following topics: health education, social rights, social work and health, populations in situations of social vulnerability, interdisciplinarity, supervision, and professional training in Social Work. Established the Scientific Initiation Program at UNISANTOS and coordinated the COIC – Scientific Initiation Committee from 2009 to 2013. Founded and coordinated NEPEC – Center for Studies and Research on Social Conditions and Public Health (2003–2013). Was a CNPq Research Productivity Fellow (PQ-2) until February 2015. Served as professor in the Master’s Program in Clinical Medicine at the Lusíada University Center (UNILUS) and as president of the UNILUS Scientific Initiation Committee until June 2017. Led the research group “Center for Studies and Research on Health and Living Conditions – NEPESC,” which ended in June 2017. Currently a professor in the Master’s Program in Health Law: Individual and Collective Dimensions at Universidade Santa Cecília. Leader of the Research Group on Public Policies and the Right to Health (GPPDS). Professor in the Psychology Program at Universidade Santa Cecília since 2020, and a member of NEPP – Psychosocial Studies and Research Center of the Psychology Department at UNISANTA.
    Lattes: https://lattes.cnpq.br/4240722143218725
    E-mail: rmferreiro@uol.com.br.

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Published

2025-12-28

Data Availability Statement

This article is based exclusively on bibliographic and documentary research; no primary data were generated or analyzed that could be shared.

Issue

Vol. 25 (2025)

Section

Artigos

How to Cite

OLIVEIRA, Maria Cristina Pontes de; PINTO, Rosa Maria Ferreiro. Mental Health and Work: The Right to Workers’ Mental Health as a Challenge for Social Policies. Revista Brasileira de Direito Constitucional, [S. l.], v. 25, p. 477–491, 2025. DOI: 10.62530/rbdc25p350477. Disponível em: https://rbdc.com.br/revista/article/view/424. Acesso em: 1 jan. 2026.