CARACTERIZAÇÃO E DEMANDA DE UM SERVIÇO DE ATENDIMENTO PSICOLÓGICO ON-LINE NO CONTEXTO DA PANDEMIA DE COVID-19

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic has been considered the most serious and important public health crisis at this time. In addition to the alarming rates of morbidity and mortality worldwide, this disease has been triggering various types of psychological distress, due to social isolation, fear of falling ill or contaminating friends or family. Therefore, it is necessary to develop psychological treatment services for those who have some form of mental disorder resulting from this pandemic and its effects. This paper describes the experience and results of an online psychological care service developed by the Municipal Department of Health in Guaratinguetá, in the state of Sao Paulot, hat aimed to provide a psychological treatment to the general population and health professionals in order to alleviate suffering and favor a better quality of life. The results show that 145 people were treated remotely, predominantly female (79.3%), aged between 41-59 years (35.2%) and between 60-80 years (22.1%). A large part of the population treated has completed high school (38.0%), is a housewife (26.9%) or is unemployed (16.6%). About the complaint, it was observed that the vast majority referred to anxiety (45.4%) or depression (18.9%). From these data, it is concluded that the continuity and expansion of this type of service is necessary for protection and promotion of the mental health of the population in general and, more specifically, of the health professionals who are on the front line of combat to the COVID-19 pandemic.