COMVC-19: A Program to protect healthcare workers' mental health during the COVID-19 Pandemic. What we have learned

OBJECTIVE: In 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic brought a work and stress overload to healthcare workers, increasing their vulnerability to mental health impairments. In response, the authors created the COMVC-19 program. The program offered preventive actions and mental health treatment for the 22,000 workers of The Hospital das Clinicas da Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de São Paulo (HCFMUSP). This paper aims to describe its implementation and share what we have learned from this experience. METHODS: Workers were able to easily access the program through a 24/7 hotline. Additionally, a mobile phone app that screened for signs and symptoms of emotional distress and offered psychoeducation and/or referral to treatment was made available. Data from both these sources as well as any subsequent psychiatric evaluations were collected. RESULTS: The first 20 weeks of our project revealed that most participants were female, and part of the nursing staff working directly with COVID-19 patients. The most frequently reported symptoms were: anxiety, depression and sleep disturbances. The most common diagnoses were Adjustment, Anxiety, and Mood disorders. CONCLUSIONS: Implementing a mental health program in a multimodal intervention was feasible in a major quaternary public hospital. Our data also suggests that preventive actions should primarily be aimed at anxiety and depression symptoms, with a particular focus on the nursing staff.

De adultos a crianças: análise retrospectiva e psicanalítica de serviço ambulatorial de população com disforia de gênero-transtorno de identidade de gênero-transexualismo / From adults to children: retrospective and psychoanalytic analysis of outpatient services of the population with gender dysphoria, gender identity disorder and transsexualism / De adultos a niños: análisis retrospectivo y psicoanalítico de servicio ambulatorio a población con disforia de género-trastorno de identidad de género-transexualismo

No Brasil, foi após 1997, com a publicação da padronização do Conselho Federal de Medicina, que o acompanhamento e o tratamento da população transexual se tornaram mais intensivos. O Ambulatório de Transtorno de Identidade de Gênero e Orientação Sexual - Amtigos, do Nufor-IPq-HCFMUSP foi criado em 2010; nele, pacientes com disforia de gênero são tratados seguindo as orientações da World Professional Association for Transgender Health (WPATH), adaptadas à realidade sociocultural brasileira. O Amtigos promove triagens multidisciplinares, atendimento médico psiquiátrico e psicoterapia para pacientes adultos e, mais recentemente, para adolescentes e crianças trazidos por familiares que buscam orientação e tratamento. Nossa proposta consiste em uma abordagem transdisciplinar com base em nossa experiência, para que seja provida adequada assistência psicológica, psiquiátrica e acompanhamento psicoterápico a esses pacientes. Não se trata de tutoria, mas sim de um desenvolvimento conjunto de responsabilidades por todo o processo.

In Brazil, it was after 1997, with the publication of the standardization of the Federal Council of Medicine, that the care and treatment of the transsexual population became more intensive. The Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity Disorder Outpatient Unit AMTIGOS-NUFOR-IPq-HCFMUSP was established in 2010; there, patients with gender dysphoria are treated following the orientations of the World Professional Association for Transgender Health WPATH, adapted to the Brazilian social and cultural reality. The amtigos promotes multidisciplinary selections, mental health care and psychotherapy for adults and, more recently, adolescents and children brought by family members seeking counseling and treatment. Our proposal consists of a transdisciplinary approach based on our experience in order to provide adequate psychological, psychiatric and psychotherapeutic assistance for these patients. It is not about tutoring, but a joint development of responsibilities for the entire process.

En Brasil, fue después del 1997, con la publicación de la estandarización del Consejo Federal de Medicina, que el seguimiento y el tratamiento de la población transexual se tornaron más intensivos. El Ambulatório de Transtorno de Identidade de Gênero e Orientação Sexual AMTIGOS-NUFOR-IPq-HCF-MUSP fue creado en el 2010; en él, pacientes con disforia de género son tratados siguiendo las orientaciones de la World Professional Association for Transgender Health WPATH, adaptadas a la realidad sociocultural brasileña. El amtigos promueve evaluaciones multidisciplinarias, atención médica psiquiátrica y psicoterapia a pacientes adultos y, más recientemente, a adolescentes y niños traídos por familiares que buscan orientación y tratamiento. Nuestra propuesta consiste en un abordaje transdisciplinario basado en nuestra experiencia para que se proporcione una adecuada asistencia psicológica, psiquiátrica y seguimiento psicoterápico a esos pacientes. No se trata de tutoría, sino de un desarrollo conjunto de responsabilidades por todo el proceso.