Health conditions of people on the streets during the COVID-19 pandemic in light of Nightingale’s Environmental Theory

Objective: The objective was to analyze the health conditions of people living on the streets, in the COVID-19 scenario, based on the contributions of the Environ-mental Theory. Methods: This is a theoretical-reflexive analysis. Results: Two cate-gories were developed: The dichotomy between living on the street and the Night-ingalian assumptions and;The reality of people living on the street in times of pan-demic by COVID-19. The first category addressed the difference between what is experienced by people on the street and what the Nightingalian assumptions say about health conditions. The second category showed the insertion of these people in the context of prevention measures. Final considerations: It is of fundamental importance to discuss the access to prevention and health promotion strategies by these people and to promote specific actions for the reality in which they live.

The use of masks among brazilian nursing workers during the covid-19 pandemic

Objective: to assess the use of masks among Brazilian nursing workers during the COVID-19 pandemic. Method: cross-sectional study addressing nursing workers between March and May 2020. Data were collected online using a form addressing demographic variables and the Brazilian Portuguese version of the Face Mask Use Scale (FMUS-PB). Data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics, central tendency and dispersion measures, Student’s t-test, and analysis of variance. Results: a total of 3,294 workers participated;most were nurses (85.9%), women (90.2%), lived in the southeast (36.9%), and had had contact with the COVID-19 (77.8%). The participants reported using masks in public places and at work (63.1% and 78.8%, respectively). However, only 25.8% wore masks at home. Individuals aged between 35 and 45 (p=0.002) living in the south (p<0.001) reported more frequent use of masks. Nursing technicians (p<0.001), aged ≥ 45 (p<0.001), living in the south (p<0.001), scored higher in the use of masks for self-protection and to protect others (p=0.002). Prior contact with COVID-19 resulted in the more frequent use of masks for self-protection and to protect others (p<0.001). Conclusion: the use of masks by nursing workers in public places and health settings was more frequent than at home. Additionally, masks were more frequently use for self-protection than to protect others. These results show a need to promote cultural changes toward masks for personal protection and within the family and social contexts. © 2021, Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina. All rights reserved.