On the way to the Family Health Strategic: therapeutic program for rural workers during the COVID-19 pandemic

Abstract

This study aimed to describe the therapeutic itinerary of rural female workers during the COVID-19 pandemic. It is a qualitative study using oral history methodology. A total of 15 interviews were carried out with rural female workers belonging to the field of the Family Health Strategy (ESF in Portuguese) of a municipal district in the state of Minas Gerais. The narratives were subjected to content analysis following Bardin. The results pointed to two categories: “A way to go: revealing the context and the organization of ESF in the area;” and “Between fear and (lack of) health assistance: visibility for the trajectories of rural female workers during the COVID-19 pandemic.” The first category demonstrated the therapeutic itinerary of rural female workers aiming to access health care in the ESF of their area besides the organization of local health service. The second category illustrated the intensified lack of assistance experienced by rural workers. In conclusion, the use of ESF represented the preferred network in the therapeutic itinerary of rural workers demonstrating the urgent action to strengthen Primary Health Care in rural areas. The COVID-19 pandemic stressed the challenges concerning the search of health assistance showing the urgency of health actions for this territory.