Work process and psychological suffering of primary care physicians during the COVID-19 pandemic

Abstract

Abstract Work organization and process are privileged spaces to recognize the forces that lead to psychological suffering. This study aims to analyze the perceptions of physicians of primary health care, who work in the More Doctors Program, on the relation between psychological suffering and work process during the COVID-19 pandemic. This research was conducted with a case study using qualitative data collection, description, and analysis. An intentional sample was selected in accordance with the theoretical saturation technique. Information was collected by semi-structured interviews, following a script built to meet the objectives of this research. The analysis of interviewees’ discourse articulated categories of analysis drawn from five thematic axes with points of articulation between them, consensuses and contradictions that give meaning to the visions and positions of the actors in health. Results evinced the pandemic as a health and traumatic catastrophe, resizing the work process and contributing to overload, conflicts, fear, feelings of helplessness, and psychological suffering. Numerous shortcomings, infrastructure problems, bureaucracy, political interference, mismatch between training and practice also contributed to this suffering.