Fatores Biopisicossociais e a vulnerabilidade dos profissionais invisíveis atuantes na cadeia de enfrentamento da Covid-19 na cidade de Araguaína/Tocantins

Abstract

One of the concerns linked to the COVID-19 pandemic was the biopsychosocial consequences of workers involved in fighting the disease. In addition to the workers inserted within the hospital context, we highlight those who worked outside this system, entitled in this study of invisible professionals, being the drivers, receptionist, general service assistant, in addition to the medium and higher-level health professionals themselves, such as, technician nurses, nurses, dentists, psychologists, among others. In view of this, the objective of this study is to analyze the socio-professional and psychodynamic conditions of invisible workers in the health chain involved in facing the COVID-19 pandemic in the municipality of Araguaína, state of Tocantins. To obtain the data, we chose to use a questionnaire via the Internet and a semi-structured interview, which were subsequently recorded and transcribed. A total of 107 workers from the Municipal Health Department and the Municipal Department of Social Assistance, Work and Housing participated in this research, 54% participated only in the questionnaire and 43% agreed to participate in the questionnaire and interview, of which 7% were selected for interview. Data analysis was performed using descriptive statistics and content analysis techniques. Those who called themselves browns and black added up to a total of 67%, with respect to age group, 40% were between 25 and 34 years old. As for the biopsychosocial health/disease factors, 13% were part of the risk group, 13% of the sample declared having acquired COVID-19 and 54% declared living with individuals belonging to the risk group. The main type of assistance was the SUS, 56% used it exclusively. As for vaccination, only 4% had not been immunized against COVID-19. Among the socio-professional conditions, 61% declared having a higher education, however only 42% of the declared professions were higher education, suggesting that professionals with higher education acted as professionals with a secondary education. As for the main way of getting to work, 83% had their own means of transport to get around and only 4% used public transport to go to work. As for the employment relationship, 66% were temporarily hired without a formal contract, 31% were public employees and only 2% had a formal contract. Of the total number of participants, 49% already worked in the municipality and had their initial function changed to meet a specific demand of the pandemic. In all the interviews, it was evident the lack of security and mastery to perform their new functions. Working conditions and a precarious work organization are observed, leading to psychological suffering. There is the use of creativity given by the freedom to transform the prescribed work into real work as an element of overcoming suffering. As for family and social relationships, it shows a rupture given by the work organization they were subjected to, and by the very condition of isolation and social distance imposed by the pandemic. The data showed that the pandemic accentuated the weaknesses of work already present, that invisible workers were subjected to conditions of suffering and work-related illness. Thus, it was important to know the reality of this public and carry out additional post-pandemic studies in this same population in order to verify which emotional sequelae were associated with working conditions.