Work overload and mental health impacts on community health workers during the pandemic

Santos THP, Cavalcanti LPG, Ribeiro KG, Bastos MLA, Ferreira MJM. Work overload and mental health impacts on community health workers during the pandemic. Interface (Botucatu). 2025; 29: e250143. Doi: https://doi.org/10.1590/interface.250143

Abstract

The aim was to analyze the perceptions of Community Health Workers (CHWs) regarding the aspects related to workload burden and its impacts on mental health within the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. This is a Case Study conducted with 37 CHWs in the municipality of Fortaleza. We adopted Discourse Analysis, highlighting four key categories: work process; workload burden; impacts on mental health; and health education activities. Changes in the work process of CHWs caused by the COVID-19 have negatively impacted the mental health of these professionals. Among the factors, exhausting work schedules, increased occupational exposure to biological risks and insufficient Personal Protective Equipment and challenges to implement health education in communities. It’s essential to develop effective actions within the scope of Occupational Health Surveillance for CHWs. After all, their commitment to defending the Brazilian National Health System (SUS) and strengthening PHC is unquestionable.

Keywords
COVID-19; Mental health; Burnout; Occupational diseases; Community health workers

Access in: https://doi.org/10.1590/interface.250143

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