Mental Health and Work during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Comparative Study of Brazilian Male and Female Educators

Abstract

This research aimed to analyze the differences between male and female educators regarding mental health indicators and working conditions in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. The study had a quantitative approach, with a cross-sectional and comparative method, and involved 2,421 educators, 1,776 of them being women and 645 men, from several educational levels in Brazil. The instruments used were a semi-structured questionnaire about working conditions and the Depression Anxiety Stress Scale-21 to evaluate indicators of depression, stress, and anxiety. Data collection was carried out through the Google Forms platform between June and October 2021. The results suggested that female educators had a statistically significantly higher average (p < 0.05) in terms of stress and anxiety compared to male professionals. Additionally, reports of fatigue, sadness, and fear were significantly more frequent (p < 0.01) among female educators.It was concluded that working conditions were precarious for both male and female educators, but mental health effects were more severe for women.