Self-reported Mental Health Disorder, Alcohol use Pattern, and Anxiety Symptoms: Cross-sectional Phone Survey among Primary Health Care Users in São Paulo City Brazil

Primary health care (PHC) is essential in identifying and caring for people with mental disorders. Despite being treatable, most cases go undetected and untreated. This study aimed to assess self-reported mental health disorders and their association with alcohol consumption and anxiety symptoms among PHC users in Sao Paulo, Brazil. Convenience samples were collected from 5413 participants who completed the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory-State 6 and Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test-Consumption. The prevalence of self-reported mental disorders was 30.5%, of which 54.6% had moderate, high, and severe risk alcohol consumption patterns and 65.5% reported moderate or severe anxiety symptoms. High STAI-6 scores were associated with mental disorders (excluding anxiety disorders), and no significant association was observed with participants' alcohol use patterns. One-third of participants reported a mental disorder diagnosis, highlighting the need to develop care strategies and mental health policies to recognize, treat, and strengthen the care network in health systems.