Coping strategies of health professionals working in health care during the context of fighting the pandemic of COVID-19

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic has caused impacts in several areas of Brazilian society, especially with regard to SUS, which needed adaptations to efficiently combat the new coronavirus. In this context of constant demands and changes, health professionals were affected both physically, due to the possibility of contamination and exhausting working hours, as well as psychologically, with the manifestation of symptoms such as anxiety, fear, stress and depression. This research was quantitative in order to gather information about individual strategies that are used to adapt and overcome stressful and adverse contexts, a process also known as coping. The sample consisted of 22 health professionals (5 from nursing, 4 from physiotherapy, 5 from nutrition and 8 from psychology) who are or have been working within the assistance flow chart described in the Contingency Plan of the Federal District to combat the pandemic of COVID -19. The Folkman and Lazarus Coping Strategies Inventory adapted to Portuguese were applied, using an online forms platform. The results showed that the strategy most used by professionals was “positive reassessment” (18%), followed by “social support” (16%), “self-control” (15%), “problem solving” (14%), “ escape-avoidance ”(12%),“ withdrawal ”(9%),“ confrontation ”(9%) and the least used strategy was“ acceptance of responsibility ”(7%). Although there are some differences related to the use of strategies when comparing professions, it is possible to observe that they converge towards a more positive and conscious confrontation in this context.

Keywords: Coping; coping strategies; health professionals; mental health