Trabalho, Educação e Saúde - TES (Work, Education and Health) is an open access scientific journal, edited by the Joaquim Venâncio Polytechnic School of Health, from Oswaldo Cruz Foundation.

Work, suffering and illness: the reality of community health agents in southern Brazil

  • Suzane Beatriz Frantz Krug
  • Camila Dubow
  • Amanda Corrêa dos Santos
  • Bruno Dittberner Dutra
  • Leni Dias Weigelt
  • Luciane Maria Schmidt Alves
  • Suzane Beatriz Frantz Krug

    Universidade de Santa Cruz do Sul, Departamento de Enfermagem e Odontologia, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Promoção da Saúde. Santa Cruz do Sul, Rio Grande do Sul, Brasil

    Camila Dubow

    Universidade de Santa Cruz do Sul, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Promoção da Saúde, Santa Cruz do Sul, Rio Grande do Sul, Brasil.

    Amanda Corrêa dos Santos

    Universidade de Santa Cruz do Sul, Departamento de Enfermagem e Odontologia, Santa Cruz do Sul, Rio Grande do Sul, Brasil.

    Bruno Dittberner Dutra

    Universidade de Santa Cruz do Sul, Departamento de Fisioterapia, Santa Cruz do Sul, Rio Grande do Sul, Brasil.

    Leni Dias Weigelt

    Universidade de Santa Cruz do Sul, Departamento de Enfermagem e Odontologia, Santa Cruz do Sul, Rio Grande do Sul, Brasil.

    Luciane Maria Schmidt Alves

    Universidade de Santa Cruz do Sul, Departamento de Enfermagem e Odontologia, Santa Cruz do Sul, Rio Grande do Sul, Brasil.



Abstract

The aim of this study was to analyze how community health agents evaluate the work context and possible factors that contribute to their suffering/illness. This was a cross-sectional, descriptive, quantitative-qualitative study carried out with health agents from 13 municipalities in the central region of the state of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, in 2014. The ‘Work and Risk of Illness Inventory’ sociodemographic questionnaire and interview were used to collect data. The data were analyzed through content analysis. The situations of suffering were related to the lack of professional recognition, an excessive pace, work overload, conflicts with the community, lack of resolution of actions, unavailability of materials and inputs, in addition to the geographic location of the health unit and of the users’ homes, type of health strategy, and management. It was concluded that the health agent’s working environment can cause suffering/illness among these workers.

Keywords

community health workers,
work,
illness

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Copyright (c) 2022 Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Escola Politécnica de Saúde Joaquim Venâncio

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