%0 Journal Article
%A Rodriguez-Arrastia, Miguel
%A García-Martín, Manuel
%A Romero-López, Ana
%A Ropero-Padilla, Carmen
%A Ruiz-Gonzalez, Cristofer
%A Roman, Pablo
%A Sanchez-Labraca, Nuria
%T Evolution of the Public-Health Response to COVID-19 Pandemic in Spain: A Descriptive Qualitative Study.
%D 2022
%U http://hdl.handle.net/10668/21053
%X The capacity of hospitals and primary care centres has, rightfully, been at the centre of public and political debate on resource availability and control measures during the outbreak of COVID-19 and lockdown. Thus, the aim of this study is to describe the public and professional perceptions towards the evolution of the COVID-19 public-health response, in order to analyse and learn lessons for future health policies in similar situations in the future. A descriptive qualitative study was conducted through 41 in-depth interviews between January and June 2021. Twenty-one healthcare professionals and twenty service users participated in our study. The participants were recruited using purposive sampling. After our data analysis, three main themes emerged: (i) experiences during an unprecedented public health threat: the impact and challenges of early control measures, and outcomes for the public image of nursing; (ii) overcoming the impact of the outbreak on the healthcare system: professional coping strategies in the context of the pandemic, and institutional considerations in hospitals and primary care; and (iii) the efficiency of resource management during the outbreak: perceptions of professionals and healthcare users. Health providers and service users demand structural and organisational changes, as well as resource-optimisation strategies for front-line workers. Nurses need to be involved in decision making in order to provide evidence-based guidelines and ensure well-resourced and supported care practice.
%K COVID-19
%K health personnel
%K nursing
%K patients
%K qualitative research
%~