O trabalho do/a assistente social na atenção básica de saúde em Manaus: condições de trabalho, implicações à saúde e desafios cotidianos.

Abstract

In Brazil, public health is a universal and priority social policy, which employs professionals from different areas, including social workers. The health area is one of the fields of great relevance for the work of social workers. The general objective of this research was to analyze the work and health conditions of social workers who work in Primary Health Care in Manaus in order to support studies and actions to promote the health of workers. As specific objectives, the research sought to: identify how changes in the world of work have had repercussions on the working conditions and health of social workers, especially in the health area; characterize the professional work of social workers who work in primary care, highlighting those carried out within the Basic Health Units; understand the main difficulties faced by social workers, regarding work and health conditions, emphasizing the period of the COVID-19 pandemic and identify coping strategies, individual and collective, to improve the work and health conditions of /the social workers. To achieve the objectives, the methodological path involved bibliographical research, documentary research and field research, the latter being carried out remotely through the Google Forms Platform. The investigation was guided by historical-dialectical materialism, making a quantitative and qualitative approach to the data to apprehend reality. Data collection took place through an electronic questionnaire with open and closed questions that was sent to social workers who work in Basic Health Units or Family Health Units in the city of Manaus. The results obtained point to the particularities of the work of the social worker involving the main competences and demands, as well as their working and health conditions in primary health care. There was a deficit of social work professionals in primary care in Manaus, as well as challenges and difficulties involving their work environment. The research also pointed out the scenario of the covid-19 pandemic in Amazonas and the effects on the work and health of social workers. Finally, the research also showed a weakness in the participation of social workers in struggles and resistance in favor of improvements in working conditions in health, that is, it showed a certain distance in participation and collective organization with professional entities and social movements. of the working class.