The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the mental health of healthcare professionals in a unit family care center

Abstract

Almost two years after the appearance of the COVID-19 pandemic, we are now starting to deal not only with the disease itself but also with its consequences. Health has been in the spotlight now and those who work in health care, even more, especially primary health care professionals for their active role in the pandemic phase. Therefore, it is easy to understand that all this effort would end up being reflected in their mental health, one way or another. In that regard, the author carried out work to understand the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the mental health of health professionals in a family health unit (USF). The results proved to be quite impressive, with the majority of them feeling not only a moderate to a strong impact of it but also showing symptoms suggestive of burn-out – such as emotional exhaustion, anxiety, and sleep disturbances. That even led to a high proportion of professionals who resorted to the use of antidepressant/anxiolytic and sleep-inducing medication. Therefore, it is urgent to implement preventive measures or support actions that promote the mental health of the professionals in question.