Prática profissional no cuidado em saúde mental nos centros de atenção psicossocial durante a pandemia da Covid-19

Abstract

Psychosocial Care Centers, essential services in mental health care, during the advent of the COVID-19 pandemic, had daily care changed with the limitation of receptions, workshops, groups, home visits, activities related to promotion and prevention in mental health, individual listening and rehabilitation actions in mental health. This avoided agglomerations and health protocols followed. Thus, this study aimed to understand the professional practice of mental health care performed in Psychosocial Care Centers during the COVID-19 pandemic. This is a qualitative research that was conducted with 18 professionals who worked in the four Psychosocial Care Centers of a municipality in the central region of the state of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, during the COVID-19 pandemic, from August to November 2021. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews, after contact with caps professionals. The analysis of the information occurred simultaneously with the collection, using the technique of thematic content analysis. All ethical aspects of the research were respected and submitted to the Ethics Committee on Research with Human Beings and registered in the Brazil Platform. The results covered 25 themes that constituted the following six categories: mental health professionals of CAPS during the COVID-19 pandemic; mental health care practices in CAPS during the COVID-19 pandemic; mental health care practices during the COVID-19 pandemic; challenges in professional practice during the pandemic: the reality of the user; health care network in the COVID-19 pandemic and perceptions of mental health professionals regarding health manager during the pandemics, who presented the reality of professional practice in CAPS during the COVID-19 pandemic. The results of the research show that the COVID-19 pandemic is being an event with great impact on different aspects in the health of society, especially the reflexes in mental health that have led to discussions that go beyond the pandemic period, but refer to the resumption of the assumptions of the Brazilian Psychiatric Reform. As a contribution on the study theme, this research achieved its objective by giving voice to professionals who work in caps during the COVID-19 pandemic, debating and problematizing the impacts of the pandemic on their professional practice. Furthermore, it was possible to know the challenges faced in the pandemic period and the practices that can be improved during and after the pandemic.