[The risk and vulnerability of health care workers to the COVID-19 pandemic].

Abstract

Objective: To analyze the categories of risk and vulnerability based on the experience of health professionals who attended SARS-CoV-2.

Design: Exploratory research. It was developed in different phases during 2020-2021, using concurrent mixed methods and pursuing multiple objectives. This article reports findings from a qualitative section, derived from the analysis of a subsample of participants.

Setting: First-level medical units in rural areas of five states in Mexico.

Participants: Thirty-two health care professionals were included: doctors, nurses and health promoters.

Methods: Three emergent categories were inferentially analyzed based on some constructivist grounded theory assumptions: a) harm reduction strategies used, b) perception of own vulnerability to SARS-CoV-2 and c) impact on personal life.

Results: Perceptions of risk and vulnerability are two interdependent domains constructed from lived experience of health care professionals, meanings were developed as negative attributes were socially assigned: the cause of the infection was unknown, but it was a dangerous virus that caused the deaths of colleagues. A new risk culture for COVID-19 was constructed.

Conclusions: Subjective perceptions of risk perception and vulnerability correspond with objective perceptions and opportunities to implement coping strategies and risk reduction, including at the family level. To support health professionals in the face of future health emergencies, it is necessary to guarantee them job security.