Vigilância epidemiológica do SARS-CoV-2: marcador raça/cor entre trabalhadores da saúde no Recôncavo da Bahia

Abstract

COVID-19 is a viral disease caused by SARS-CoV-2, a virus belonging to the genus Betacoronavirus, subgenus Sarbecovirus. Transmission occurs from person to person through aerosols affecting the population as a whole, with a high risk for health workers who maintain greater physical contact with infected patients, exposing this population to a greater risk of contagion. The objectives of this research were to identify the vulnerability of a group of health workers to COVID-19, test professionals using the RT-qPCR technique, describe working conditions, type of occupation and sociodemographic data. The research participants were 255 health workers, 158 from the city of Cruz das Almas-BA, 40 from the city of Feira de Santana-BA, 37 from the city of Santo Antônio de Jesus-BA and 20 from the city of Conceição do Almeida- BA, surveyed between the months of April/2021 to January/2022. The development of the research involved the following steps: (a) national and international bibliographic research, (b) cross-sectional study, (c) expansion of testing by collecting and analyzing samples in the laboratory by RT-qPCR (Reverse-transcriptase polymerase chain reaction) in real time (d) application of questionnaires and epidemiological analysis, (e) data analysis and (f) master's products. In the study population (N=255), 78% of professionals were female and 22% were male. Most respondents in the age group of 35 to 44 years (36.86%), followed by the age group of 45 and 54 years (27.84%) and the age group of 25 and 34 years (21.57%) . In terms of race/color, 87.84% declared themselves black, 11.37% declared themselves non-black and 0.78% ignored this question in the questionnaire. Among the occupations, the highest frequencies were: community health agent (17.25%), nursing technician (15.69%), nurse (9.80%), positions in administrative sectors (9 .41%), positions in reception sectors (8.24%) and positions in hygiene/cleaning sectors (6.67%). Of the 255 health workers tested and who responded to the survey questionnaire, 79 reported in the questionnaire that they had contracted SARS-CoV-2 infection prior to the application of the questionnaire. 14 reported reinfection. Finally, 5 positive results were detected through the RT-qPCR tests carried out in this project, at LabCoV/UFRB (Laboratory for the molecular diagnosis of COVID-19 at the University of Recôncavo da Bahia). It was identified that of the 255 monitored workers, 7.45% did not have access to any PPE, such as an N95 mask, protective eyewear, apron and procedure gloves and, also, of these 255 workers, 12.94% did not have access to N95 mask, the most recommended equipment for protection against COVID-19, among the PPE considered in this research. The main practical contribution of this study involved the expansion of testing with teams accessing the molecular technique for the first time through this strategy, showing the negligence of the system and ensuring access to the diagnosis of COVID-19 for health workers in municipalities in the Recôncavo da Bahia. The main theoretical contribution was to provide research directions that directly include ethic-racial issues in the field of health, in the face of a pandemic with a regional perspective.