Condições de trabalho na estratégia Saúde da Família pós pandemia de covid-19: um olhar para os profissionais que compõe a equipe de Atenção Primária à Saúde

Abstract

Primary Health Care should be developed through managerial and sanitary practices that are democratic and participatory, based on a reference health unit and teamwork as a driver of actions aimed at individuals, families, and populations. In this train of thought, despite Primary Health Care professionals constituting an important workforce for the Unified Health System, the working conditions to which they are subjected do not always favor quality of life. The objective of the research was to evaluate the working conditions of Family Health Strategy professionals post Covid-19 pandemic, based on determinants such as stress and absenteeism, considering their sociodemographic conditions and insertion in the labor market. This is a cross- sectional study, employing a quantitative approach, with nurses, physicians, and nursing technicians. For data collection, a questionnaire was administered containing open-ended, semi- open-ended, and closed questions, divided into five blocks, namely: Block I - Sociodemographic identification; Block II - Labor market and job characteristics; Block III - Health-disease-care-work process; Block IV - Absenteeism; and Block V - Work-related stress. The study sample comprises 135 participants. Of these, 34.8% are nurses, 28.1% are physicians, and 37.2% are nursing technicians. It was observed that 78.7% of nurses, 68.4% of physicians, and 92% of nursing technicians are female; 49.6% of the professionals are in the age range of 26 to 35 years; 61.5% are black; and 46% are single. The study analyzed gender and racial disparities in the labor market, revealing a male predominance in terms of job quantity (p= 0.003), exacerbating salary differences between men and women, as well as between different ethnic groups (p=0.002). The main occupational hazards faced include biological agents (49.24%), work organization (36.67%), and physical agents (13.06%), with a lower influence of chemical agents (2.03%). Health problems such as infectious diseases (34.8%), muscle pain (30.7%), and anxiety (29.6%) were common, with significant associations between variables such as gender and job satisfaction (p=0.029), work accidents and work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WRMSDs) (p=0.001), and job satisfaction and stressful activities (p=0.002). In the context of work absenteeism, the main drivers identified were demotivation (3.84), fatigue (4.77), workload (4.73), low pay (4.28), and the need for time for continuous/postgraduate education (3.25). In terms of average by category, nursing technicians had the highest absenteeism average (3.38), followed by nurses (3.24) and physicians (3.15). Regarding stress levels, the category "Roles and Work Environment" obtained the highest score (2.85), followed by autonomy and control (2.77) and relationships with the supervisor (2.62). Regarding stress level by category, the order coincided with that of absenteeism: nursing technicians (3.12), nurses (2.83), and physicians (2.70). Therefore, prioritizing the health, safety, and working conditions of professionals in the sector is essential to promote an effective and sustainable healthcare system.