Depressive disorders as cause of absenteeism among public sector health care workers in Sergipe, Brazil, from 2009 to 2017.

Background: Health care workers are available to provide care to patients, but lack of concern with their lives, work organization and difficult interpersonal relationships make them susceptible to physical or mental diseases.

Objective: To establish the profile of health care workers in the public sector in Sergipe, Brazil, granted sick leave due to depression, frequency of relapse and characteristics of absenteeism.

Methods: Cross-sectional and descriptive study in which we analyzed secondary data for the period from 2009 2017 available in the State Secretariat of Planning, Budget and Management electronic records.