Using social networks in surveillance of violence at work experienced by community health workers

Abstract Introduction: community health workers (CHW) are exposed to violence at work twice as much since they work on the streets and visit households in the communities served by the Brazilian Unified Health System. Objectives: to identify cases of violence at work experienced by CHW and revealed in a social network, as well as analyze the use of this media as a strategic source for worker’s health surveillance. Methods: information from the official systems of the Brazilian Health Ministry (HM) and from news posted on the CHW’s Facebook fanpage from 2013 to mid-2017. Results: we found no cases officially reported by the HM. However, nine records of violence were found on the fanpage: rape attempt, murder, physical violence, robbery, discrimination, death threat and firearm assault. Conclusion: using the social network as a source of information on the violence at work experienced by CHW shows a new context and possibility to identify demands and communicate injuries and occupational hazards. This source showed good potential to be used in worker’s health surveillance with emphasis on CHW’s attitudes towards the violence they experience and the strategies they adopt to face it.