O serviço social no Sistema Único de Saúde (SUS): desafios e práticas sob o contexto do novo coronavírus no município de Paulo Afonso – BA

Abstract

The present work aimed to analyze the strategies used by social workers during the Covid-19 pandemic in the Unified Health System (SUS) in the city of Paulo Afonso – BA, highlighting the challenges faced during this period. The following specific purposes stood out: identifying the challenges faced by social workers during the pandemic; know the impacts of the pandemic on the work of social workers in health; demonstrate the importance of the work of social workers in public health, with an emphasis on their work during the Covid-19 pandemic in the municipality of Paulo Afonso-BA. With regard to the methodological procedures used, the study was guided by the dialectical method, making use of bibliographic and documentary review, to compose the theoretical basis and a field study with a qualitative and quantitative approach. The field research was carried out with 9 social workers who work in public health units in the city of Paulo Afonso/BA, using a questionnaire with open and closed questions from Google Forms. The analysis of the data obtained from the open responses was carried out using the content analysis proposed by Bardin (2016). The results revealed that these professionals faced obstacles related to the scarcity of resources, work overload and, in some cases, the lack of adequate personal protective equipment. Additionally, the research highlighted the continued precariousness of the work environment, showing that 67% of professionals maintain temporary employment in health institutions, a reality exacerbated by the pandemic situation. Female predominance (88.9%) among social workers, with training focused on social criticism, generally specialized (78%) in lato sensu courses, mostly coming from private institutions. Highlighting that the professionals interviewed worked in different health sectors, such as the Municipal Health Department, UPA Covid-19 and ICU. They faced emotional challenges, as they were on the front line of fighting the pandemic, dealing with situations of suffering and loss. We observed that the pandemic had a significant impact on the activities of these professionals, requiring adaptations and changes in the way they provided assistance to users. Another relevant aspect was the ethical dimension of social workers’ work during the pandemic. They were on the front line not only as service providers, but also as defenders of the rights and dignity of SUS users. Our results reinforce the relevance of these professionals in the health context, highlighting their ethical commitment.