Perceptions, knowledge and guidelines developed by health professionals in the post-epidemic context of the Zika virus

Abstract Health professionals are a fundamental category to guide the population about various health problems and effective prevention measures. Despite this, so far, no studies have been identified in Brazil that analyze knowledge and guidance given about the zika virus by health professionals. The objective was to understand the perceptions, knowledge and guidelines developed by health professionals in Salvador-Bahia about the zika virus in the post-epidemic context. This is a qualitative study, developed through 13 semi-structured interviews. The data showed that health professionals had the perception of not being adequately prepared, even in the post-epidemic, to face the zika virus. Situation evidenced by insufficiencies in knowledge about important aspects of this arbovirus. Furthermore, guidelines in the course of the epidemic made the population responsible for mitigating the risk of infection, restricting themselves to the reproduction of the speeches of health authorities, disregarding socio-environmental vulnerabilities. In addition to professional training and appropriate health recommendations, it is necessary that the social determinants that provide different levels of susceptibility to illness are effectively transformed.