O autocuidado como vontade de viver: estratégias contra a Covid-19

Abstract

Self-care has been widely studied in research in different areas of health, as care is the central concept for the development of actions that promote health, as well as those aimed at preventing and/or complicating diseases. The pandemic of the new coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) in the Brazilian scenario created many uncertainties and fears in the population. However, another public health opponent that emerged on the subject was the dissemination of fake news that made it difficult to cope with the new disease. It is noteworthy that the transmission of the virus happens from one sick person to another or through close contact. In this sense, the aim of this research was to investigate how self-care is being treated during the Covid-19 pandemic. As a methodology for carrying out this study, an integrative literature review was carried out, which enabled the identification, synthesis, and performance of a broad analysis in the literature on a specific, quantitative and documentary theme. A semi-structured questionnaire was applied via the WhatsApp application to the employees of the city of Palmas, in the health area, located in the Basic Health Unit (UBS) in block 108 South and in the Emergency Operating Committee (COE) of the city of Palmas – Tocantins. Of the 28 respondents to the questionnaire, applied to employees of the Basic Health Unit (UBS) of block 108 South and of the Emergency Operating Committee (COE) of the municipality of Palmas, 93% corresponded to females and 7% to males, with age group between 25 and 60 years. Of the interviewees, 100% answered that they considered that maintaining a self-care routine would be important for the maintenance of physical and mental health. They were also asked about the use of social networks to communicate, whether these influenced self-care and which ones they used the most. As for the Fake News, respondents were asked if they considered that they affected the self-care process during the pandemic, 86% said yes, 14% no. Questions about day-to-day use regarding the WHO recommendations for disease prevention, use and frequency of protective masks were also directed to professionals. Furthermore, there were questions related to the mental health of professionals, about actions to avoid feelings such as anxiety, fear, and anguish, as well as possible ways they used to deal with anxiety during the pandemic. As a result of this research, a folder was created as an educational technology, bringing information about the prevention measures of Covid-19, as well as recommended strategies for the maintenance of self-care during a pandemic period, with the purpose of distributing and guiding users of the primary care. Thus, it is concluded that it is essential that the population continues to follow preventive measures such as social distancing, frequent hand washing with soap / alcohol-based disinfectant, use of mask in public, attention to symptoms and practice of respiratory hygiene. These are effective measures of self-care and caring for others in the face of a pandemic.