Repercussões da pandemia de covid-19 sobre as doenças crônicas e o uso de medicamentos em profissionais da atenção primária

Abstract

INTRODUCTION: COVID-19 is a complex and unpredictable disease that can present itself either asymptomatically or severely. Studies indicate that lethality levels are higher in older people who have one or more chronic diseases. Due to prevention and health promotion actions, Primary Care is the main gateway to the SUS, including for patients with COVID-19. Aiming at the high transmissibility of the virus, health professionals emerge as a vulnerable group. OBJECTIVE: To analyze the repercussions of the COVID-19 pandemic on chronic diseases and the use of medication in physicians and nurses working in primary care in the city of Campina Grande - Paraíba. METHODOLOGY: Cross-sectional study with quantitative approach, implemented in Basic Health Units in the city of Campina Grande - PB with the participation of 70 nurses and 70 doctors, totaling 140 professionals. Data collection was carried out in person, between the months of April and June 2021, through an electronic form. All analyzes were performed with the aid of the statistical software Statistical Package for the Social Sciences - SPSS version 22.0, using descriptive statistics and the Chi-square and Fisher's exact tests and McNemar. RESULTS: The prevalence of chronic diseases was higher among physicians, with a proportion of 40% in the total population, and 80.4% of them reported using medication to treat these health conditions and, among the pharmacological classes most used during the pandemic, they highlighted if the anxiolytics, analgesics, vitamins and minerals. There were differences between the lifestyle habits of the two groups of professionals, although not very marked. CONCLUSION: Even though it did not influence the prevalence of most chronic diseases addressed, the COVID-19 pandemic led to an increase in anxiety and, consequently, in the use of anxiolytics. In view of this pandemic scenario, it is important to develop public policies aimed at the quality of life and work of health professionals involved in the management of COVID-19 within primary care.