Agentes comunitários de Saúde (ACS) : condições de trabalho e sofrimento psíquico.

Abstract

This dissertation is a result of investigation about work conditions and its implications on health of an special category of worker namely Community Health Agents (ACS). The focus is on psychological suffering of these workers in their tasks as community health workers of a national health community program of Brazilian Health Ministry (PACS – Health Community Agents Program). The program is nationally present in critical social areas and and the study was developed in two counties - Venâncio Aires and Santa Cruz do Sul, state of Rio Grande do Sul. According to this study, this kind of professionals think that working with sick people is difficult, sad and painful, because they feel responsible for the members of their community, and on many times they feel frustrated because the help they can provide is not as effective as they would like it to be; therefore, they feel sometimes too fragile before some situations that produce low steem, mental suffering and depression.