Background:

The pandemic of the new coronavirus has substantially changed the daily work routine and sense of safety of the population, and in health professionals this can generate symptoms of depression, anxiety, insomnia and distress.

Objective:

The research aimed to evaluate the possible relationship between the physical health of primary care health professionals and the prevalence of common mental disorders (CMD) in two family health units in Recife, pernambuco state,Brazil.

Method:

This is a cross-sectional analytical design, used a questionnaire on physical health and the Self Report Questionnaire 20 (SRQ-20).

Results:

A total of 67 participants answered the questionnaire, 87.3% (n=55) female, with a mean age of 42.53 (SD=10.12). The pandemic of the new coronavirus affected physical health negatively in 35.8% (n=24) of the participants, and 64.2% (n=43) reported no alteration. In relation to CMD, it was found in 46.3%(n=31) of the people who answered the questionnaire. The prevalence ratio between individuals who do physical activity and CMD was 0.47 (CI = 0.27-0.83).

Conclusion:

The results demonstrate the need to develop actions and strategies that minimize the effects of the pandemic on the physical and mental health of primary care workers.