Weaknesses in mental health care: perceptions of primary health care professionals in times of COVID-19

Aim: to analyze the perception of health professionals in Primary Health Care about the weaknesses related to mental health care in their daily work, and identify proposals to qualify assistance to this demand, amidst the pandemic caused by COVID-19. Method: it is an action-research, developed in a...

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Detalles Bibliográficos
Autores: Bernieri, Jamine, Hirdes, Alice, Vendruscolo, Carine, Zanatta, Leila
Tipo de recurso: artículo
Estado:Versión publicada
Fecha de publicación:2021
País:Brasil
Institución:Universidade Federal de Itajubá (UNIFEI)
Repositorio:Research, Society and Development
Idioma:portugués
OAI Identifier:oai:ojs.pkp.sfu.ca:article/20456
Acceso en línea:https://rsdjournal.org/index.php/rsd/article/view/20456
Access Level:acceso abierto
Palabra clave:Primary Health Care
Mental Health
Health Professionals
Mental Health Care
COVID-19.
Atenção Primária à Saúde
Saúde Mental
Profissionais de Saúde
Assistência à Saúde Mental
Primeros Auxilios
Salud Mental
Profesionales de la Salud
Cuidado de la salud mental
Descripción
Sumario:Aim: to analyze the perception of health professionals in Primary Health Care about the weaknesses related to mental health care in their daily work, and identify proposals to qualify assistance to this demand, amidst the pandemic caused by COVID-19. Method: it is an action-research, developed in a municipality in the north of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, whose participants were 8 professionals from a Basic Health Unit. The information was produced in December 2020, through a conversation circle. Data treatment was guided through content analysis. Results: the weaknesses in care involved the centralization of treatment based on psychotropic drugs, inadequate care for children and adolescents in social vulnerability, as well as users in mental suffering and their families during the COVID-19 pandemic period. Continuing education, the development of mental health actions to the population and comprehensive care emerged as proposals to qualify care. Conclusion: it was identified that a restructuring of mental health care in Primary Health Care is necessary since the prescription of psychotropic drugs is the first and only treatment option for users. It is understood that nurses, on having adequate competencies (knowledge, habilities and attitudes), can contribute to the qualification of mental health care in Primary Health Care.