Auriculotherapy effects on pain and anxiety among Basic Health Unit’s employees

an experience report

Abstract

Brazil holds the highest rate of people suffering from anxiety disorders in the world and ranks fifth in number of depression cases. Together, the individual and sociocultural physiological factors have a strong impact on the population's mental health. Given this close relationship between working conditions and mental health, it is imperative to develop strategies that fit the current reality and allow the employees to adequately exercise their obligations, while also ensuring quality care to the users and lowering the costs of an increasing absenteeism among these public servers. The present study reports the application of a preventive treatment of protocol auriculotherapy for a Basic Health Unit´s multidisciplinary team, located in Campinas/SP. Participants received 10 sessions of auriculotherapy with seeds every 3 days, for a 5 week period. The proposal to use auriculotherapy in Primary Care givers was proved to be an important tool to care for the health of workers, one that improves the mental and physical health of employees. Increasing awareness among managers is needed to develop strategies more suited to the prevention of mental disorders and the increase in the overall health of caregivers themselves, strategies that seek to embrace and treat their suffering.