Impactos da pandemia de Covid-19 na rotina, saúde mental e qualidade de vida dos fonoaudiólogos de hospitais públicos de Sergipe

Abstract

INTRODUCTION: Faced with the easy and rapid spread of COVID-19, health professionals and all levels of care needed to reorganize their dynamics to to deal with new cases and control the spread of the virus. In the way, speech therapists had to insert themselves in this new work process, generating a greater risk of contamination among other consequences. OBJECTIVE: To identify the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on the professional routine, mental health and quality of life of speech therapists working in public hospitals in the state of Sergipe. METHOD: This is an observational, analytical and cross-sectional study, carried out by the Federal University of Sergipe, submitted to the Research Ethics Committee of the Federal University of Sergipe and approved under protocol 4,404,388. Speech therapists from the following public hospitals in the state were approached: Universit Hospital of Lagarto, Universit Hospital of Aracaju and Emergency Hospital of Sergipe. Participants who met the inclusion criteria were approached by their respective technical managers through Whatsapp, and received a link to a Google form containing the consent form, a letter of acceptance of research participation and the research instrument containing three questionnaires on training and professional performance, Self-Reporting Questionnaire (SRQ-20) and the WHOQOL-bref. RESULTS: Eighteen speech therapists participated in the study, 94.4% of which were female, 55.5% worked at HUSE, 16.7% at HUL and 27.8% at the HU. 61.1% were reassigned to the sector, 72.2% were removed due to COVID-19/flu symptoms, 94.4% underwent some type of test/exam to detect COVID-19, and 44.4% receiving a positive diagnosis. in the assessment of mental distress using the SRQ-20. 55.6% of speech therapists were considered suspects for mental disorders. The WHOQOL-bref in question 1 on general assessment of quality of life resulted in 66.6% 'good' and in question 2 on satisfaction with health we obtained 44.4% 'good'. In domains I (physical), II ( psychological) and III (social relationships) we obtained 61.1% "good", and 50% "good" in domain IV (environment). CONCLUSION: It was possible to notice that the pandemic changed the routine of the speech therapists in the research, with relocation of wards and an increase in the number of sick leave. As for health mental , more than half of the speech therapists were considered suspected of mental disorders. Regarding quality of life, we were not able to notice major consequences in this aspect, requiring further studes in the field. Thus, new studies are indicated that address other realities in addition to public hospitals, covering more speech therapists and that continue to evaluate the possible impacts of the pandemic over time.