DEVELOPING COMPETENCES IN PUBLIC HEALTH: PROFESSIONAL-MANAGERS' PERCEPTIONS OF THE EFFECTS OF A DISTANCE LEARNING COURSE

Abstract Introduction: The COVID-19 pandemic has posed challenges to entities responsible for qualifying healthcare professionals worldwide, needing adaptation to offer distance learning courses in the face of implications such as social distancing. However, despite these courses, there are still gaps in understanding their effects. Objective: To analyse the feeling of professional managers on the effects of a distance learning course, implemented for the development of public health competencies during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methodology: Qualitative research based on data collected from the virtual course environment, which included responses to a question posed to manager-professionals one month after completion: "Which tasks do you routinely perform that have undergone any modification due to your participation in the course?" Data analysis used Descending Hierarchical Classification with the aid of the IRAMUTEQ® software, focusing on Simple Segments of Text (SST). SSTs were classified based on their respective vocabularies of higher frequency and words with significant association (p<0.001). Finally, the software produced a dendrogram illustrating the hierarchical class scheme. Results: 256 responses were processed with a utilization rate of 76.3% of SSTs, resulting in a dendrogram with four classes, revealing modifications in (1) Execution of daily work tasks; (2) Expansion of knowledge about work in the Unified Health System; (3) Coordination between areas for the development of actions in Public Health; (4) Support and guidance for health surveillance actions in collaboration with municipalities. Final Considerations: The use of IRAMUTEQ® software eased the processing and analysis of a large amount of qualitative data, yielding findings that showed significant changes in the professional practice of managers and, so, a positive impact on the development of public health competencies even during a pandemic.