Primary health care nurses and knowledge about environmental health and covid-19
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.21527/2176-7114.2025.50.15210Keywords:
Primary Health Care, COVID-19, Nursing, Environmental HealthAbstract
Objective: to analyze the knowledge of Primary Health Care (PHC) nurses about the relationship between environment, health, and COVID-19. Methods: This is a cross-sectional analytical study conducted with PHC nurses in Brazil. Data were collected from September 14, 2021, to April 15, 2022, through a self-administered questionnaire and analyzed using prevalence ratios and a Poisson regression model. Results: 253 nurses participated in the study. It was found that most nurses are aware of the relationship between environmental health and human health. In addition, nurses with more than 20 years of experience had, on average, a 19% higher prevalence of perceiving the difficulties that the assisted population faced in understanding measures to prevent COVID-19 infection (p < 0.01). Conclusion: Most nurses are aware of the relationship between environmental issues and COVID-19. However, despite the relevance of environmental impacts on health, there is still a lack of coordination with practical nursing activities.
References
1. Ventura DFL, Giulio GM, Rached DH. Lessons from the Covid-19 pandemic: sustainability is an indispensable condition of Global Health Security. Ambient. soc. 2020,23. doi: https://doi.org/10.1590/1809-4422asoc20200108vu2020L3ID
2. do Nascimento RZ, Vieira ACS, Santana Lima VVR da S, Torrezan BK, Torres BV dos S, Mendonça K da S, et al. Environment and its spread of COVID-19. Braz. J. Develop. 2021;7(1):6888-900. doi: https://doi.org/10.34117/bjdv7n1-465
3. Prüss-Ustün A, van Deventer E, Mudu P, Campbell-Lendrum D, Vickers C, Ivanov I, Forastiere F, Gumy S, Dora C, Adair-Rohani H, Neira M. Environmental risks and non-communicable diseases. BMJ. 2019;364:l265. doi: https://doi.org/ 10.1136/bmj.l265
4. Almeida LS, Cota ALS, Rodrigues DF. Sanitation, Arboviruses, and Environmental Determinants of Disease: impacts on urban health. Cien Saude Colet. 2020;25(10):3857-3868. doi: https://doi.org/10.1590/1413-812320202510.30712018
5. Aquino DS. Influence of access to basic sanitation on COVID-19 incidence and mortality: analysis of multiple linear regression in Brazilian states. Revista Thema. 2020;18:319-31. doi: https://doi.org/10.15536/thema.V18.Especial.2020.319-331.1798
6. Morante-García W, Zapata-Boluda RM, García-González J, Campuzano-Cuadrado P, Calvillo C, Alarcón-Rodríguez R. Influence of Social Determinants of Health on COVID-19 Infection in Socially Vulnerable Groups. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2022;19(3):1294. doi: https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19031294
7. Silva BRG, Corrêa APV, Uehara SCSA. Primary health care organization in the Covid-19 pandemic: scoping review. Rev Saude Publica. 2022;56:94. doi: https://doi.org/10.11606/s1518- 8787.2022056004374
8. Cruz DAO, Serpa D, Pereira PC, Cruz SOA, Almeida V. Política de saúde ambiental na atenção primária em belo horizonte sob a ótica do desenvolvimento urbano sustentável. Revista Hygeia. 2022; 18,194-2023. Available from: https://seer.ufu.br/index.php/hygeia/article/view/61331
9. Medina MG, Giovanella L, Bousquat A, Mendonça MHM, Aquino R; Comitê Gestor da Rede de Pesquisa em Atenção Primária à Saúde da Abrasco. Primary healthcare in times of COVID-19: what to do?. Atenção primária à saúde em tempos de COVID-19: o que fazer?. Cad Saude Publica. 2020;36(8):e00149720. doi: https://doi.org/10.1590/0102-311x00149720
10. Riegel F, Crossetti MGO, Martini JG, Nes AAG. Florence Nightingale’s theory and her contributions to holistic critical thinking in nursing. Rev Bras Enferm. 2021;74(2):e20200139. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1590/0034-7167-2020-0139
11. Costa DRA , SilvaFalcão BC, Marques MCP, Aquino DMC, Fonseca LMB, Rolim ILTP. Atuação do enfermeiro na vigilância em saúde ambiental: Uma revisão integrativa de literatura. SaudColetiv (Barueri). 2022;12(81):11702-13. doi: https://doi.org/10.36489/saudecoletiva.2022v12i81p11702-11713
12. Rouquayrol : epidemiologia & saúde / Maria Zélia Rouquayrol,. Marcelo Gurgel Carlos da Silva. - 8. ed. - Rio de Janeiro : Medbook,. 2018. 752 p
13. Brasil. Ministério da Saúde. Secretaria de Vigilância em Saúde. Departamento de Vigilância em Saúde Ambiental e Saúde do Trabalhador. Saúde ambiental : guia básico para construção de indicadores / Ministério da Saúde, Secretaria de Vigilância em Saúde, Departamento de Vigilância em Saúde Ambiental e Saúde do Trabalhador. – Brasília : Ministério da Saúde, 2011. Available from: https://bvsms.saude.gov.br/bvs/publicacoes/saude_ambiental_guia_basico.pdf
14. World Health Organization. Coronavirus disease (COVID-19). Available from: https://www.who.int/health-topics/coronavirus#tab=tab_1
15. Portela Dos Santos O, Melly P, Joost S, Verloo H. Climate Change, Environmental Health, and Challenges for Nursing Discipline. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2023;20(9):5682. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20095682
16. Lopez-Medina IM, Álvarez-Nieto C, Grose J, Elsbernd A, Huss N, Huynen M, Richardson J. Competencies on environmental health and pedagogical approaches in the nursing curriculum: A systematic review of the literature. Nurse Educ Pract. 2019;37:1-8. doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nepr.2019.04.004
17. Zuchetti M, Costa MR, Paz AA, Souza AC. Contribuições de um curso de especialização em saúde da família para a prática profissional do enfermeiro. Re. Saúd. Digi. Tec [Internet]. 2019 [cited 2023 July 12];4,52-65. Available from: http://periodicos.ufc.br/resdite/article/view/41587
18. Lachtim SAF, Freitas GL, Lazarini WS, Marinho GL, Horta ALM, Duarte ED et al. Vínculo e acolhimento na Atenção Primária à Saúde: potencialidades e desafios para o cuidado. Tempus. 2023;16(4). doi: https://doi.org/10.18569/tempus.v16i4.3060
19. Lawler OK, Allan HL, Baxter PWJ, Castagnino R, Tor MC, Dann LE, Hungerford J, et al. The COVID-19 pandemic is intricately linked to biodiversity loss and ecosystem health. Lancet Planet Health. 2021;5(11):e840-e850. doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/S2542-5196(21)00258-8
20. Ran J, Zhao S, Han L, Liao G, Wang K, Wang MH, He D. A re-analysis in exploring the association between temperature and COVID-19 transmissibility: an ecological study with 154 Chinese cities. Eur Respir J. 2020;56(2):2001253. doi: https://doi.org/10.1183/13993003.01253-2020
21. Prado NMBL, Biscarde DGDS, Pinto Junior EP, Santos HLPCD, Mota SEC, Menezes ELC, Oliveira JS, Santos AMD. Primary care-based health surveillance actions in response to the COVID-19 pandemic: contributions to the debate. Cien Saude Colet. 2021;26(7):2843-2857. doi: https://doi.org/10.1590/1413-81232021267.00582021
22. Zakianis, Adzania FH, Fauzia S, Aryati GP, Mahkota R. Sociodemographic and environmental health risk factor of COVID-19 in Jakarta, Indonesia: An ecological study. One Health. 2021;13:100303. doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.onehlt.2021.100303
23. Leite CHP, Neto JMM, Bezerra AKL. Novo marco legal do saneamento básico: alterações e perspectivas. Eng Sanit Ambient. 2022;27:5,1041-1047. doi: https://doi.org/10.1590/S1413-415220210311
24. Carvalho AR, Souza LR, Gonçalves SL, Almeida ERF. Social vulnerability and health crisis in Brazil. Cad. Saúde Pública 2021;37(9):e00071721. doi: https://doi.org/10.1590/0102-311X00071721
25. Choi KR, Skrine JK, Logsdon MC. Nursing and the Novel Coronavirus: risks and responsibilities in a global outbreak. J Adv Nurs. 2020;76(7):1486-7. doi: https://doi.org/10.1111/jan.14369
26. Galhardi CP, Freire NP, Minayo MCS, Fagundes MCM. Fact or fake? An analysis of disinformation regarding the Covid-19 pandemic in Brazil. Ciênc. saúde coletiva. 2020;25(Supl.2):4201-4210. doi: https://doi.org/10.1590/1413-812320202510.2.28922020
27. Santos RC, Nascimento EG, Sucupira KS, Leal AS, Carício MR. A COVID-19 e a reorganização do processo de trabalho do enfermeiro na Atenção Primária à Saúde. Enferm Foco. 2024;15(Supl 1):e-202411SUPL1. doi: https://doi.org/10.21675/2357-707X.2024.v15.e-202411SUPL1
28. Matos EVM, Freire MHS, Klemann D, Mendonça RC, Miranda FMD, Khalaf DK.Cargas de trabalho de enfermeiros na atenção primária à saúde. Rev. enferm. UFPE on line. 2024;18:e260088. doi: https://doi.org/10.5205/1981-8963.2024.260088
29. Patiño-Escarcina JE, Medina MG. Health Surveillance within the Primary Healthcare scope to face the Covid-19 pandemics: a document review. Saúde Debate. 2022;46 (spe1),119-130. doi: https://doi.org/10.1590/0103-11042022E108I
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2025 Natalia Maria Assunção, Ana Cristina Ribeiro, Ana Paula de Vechi Corrêa, Silvia Carla da Silva André Uehara

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
By publishing in Revista Contexto & Saúde, authors agree to the following terms:
The works are licensed under the Creative Commons Atribuição 4.0 Internacional (CC BY 4.0) license, which allows:
Share — to copy and redistribute the material in any medium or format;
Adapt — to remix, transform, and build upon the material for any purpose, including commercial.
These permissions are irrevocable, provided that the following terms are respected:
Attribution — authors must be properly credited, with a link to the license and indication of any changes made.
No additional restrictions — no legal or technological measures may be applied that restrict the use permitted by the license.
Notes:
The license does not apply to elements in the public domain or covered by legal exceptions.
The license does not grant all rights necessary for specific uses (e.g., image rights, privacy, or moral rights).
The journal is not responsible for opinions expressed in the articles, which are the sole responsibility of the authors. The Editor, with the support of the Editorial Board, reserves the right to suggest or request modifications when necessary.
Only original scientific articles presenting research results of interest that have not been published or simultaneously submitted to another journal with the same objective will be accepted.
Mentions of trademarks or specific products are intended solely for identification purposes, without any promotional association by the authors or the journal.
License Agreement (for articles published from September 2025): Authors retain copyright over their article and grant Revista Contexto & Saúde the right of first publication.