Primary care-based health surveillance actions in response to the COVID-19 pandemic: contributions to the debate

• Published in: Ciência & saude coletiva 2021-07, Vol.26 (7), p.2843-2857
• Main Authors: Prado, Nilia Maria de Brito Lima, Biscarde, Daniela Gomes Dos Santos, Pinto Junior, Elzo Pereira, Santos, Hebert Luan Pereira Campos Dos, Mota, Sara Emanuela de Carvalho, Menezes, Erica Lima Costa de, Oliveira, Josilene Silva, Santos, Adriano Maia Dos
• Format: Article
• Language: eng ; por
• Subjects: COVID-19; Government; Humans; Pandemics - prevention & control; Primary Health Care; SARS-CoV-2
• ISSN: 1413-8123; 1678-4561
• DOI: 10.1590/1413-81232021267.00582021

We conducted an integrated literature review aimed at reflecting on the challenges related to primary care-based health surveillance actions in response to the COVID-19 pandemic in selected countries. The study included countries with different PHC models that adopted surveillance as an approach to control the transmission of COVID-19. We performed a search in October 2020 for relevant literature and norms and guidelines related to the organization of primary health care (PHC) in response to the pandemic on official government websites and the databases Web of Science and Science Direct. The integrated health surveillance actions demonstrated that efforts were more focused on risks, with some countries adopting innovative and effective measures to respond to COVID-19, considering emerging needs within PHC. However, in addition to ethical controversies and operational difficulties, access to technology was a challenge in actions developed by some countries due to social inequalities.