Information, control and health promotion in the Brazilian context of the pandemic

Abstract

This article discusses how preventive and promotional discourses have been incorporated by the Brazilian population in the context of the coronavirus pandemic. It analyzes materials posted on the internet and social after the first case of COVID 19-related death in Brazil that are related health promotion and COVID-19 aimed at orienting society's response to the pandemic. The analysis considers two key factors: the mismanagement of the pandemic by the Brazilian government and infodemic. There is complex use of scientific information with recommendations that focus on what people should do (intervention) and in transforming individuals' behaviors, based on an ideal model of healthy behaviors. Narratives aimed to delegate to the population and specific groups the task of taking care of themselves have been reinforced, removing from the State the responsibility to offer conditions for the population to address the situation. There is a sophistication of strategies that blame individual practices, personal organization and that are disconnected from the collective, especially for those who live in situation of extreme vulnerability. Concomitantly, there are also discourses based on notions of solidarity and renewed social connections, which are empowering and consistent with the practice of health promotion as it attributes meanings to the subjects and their ways of life. We conclude that greatest advocacy in the field of health promotion at this moment is political and could be directed toward reaffirming health promotion principles, supporting permanent mobilization against setbacks in the public sphere and defending a new, democratic, inclusive and collective vision of society.

Keywords: behavior control; coronavirus infection; health promotion; information dissemination; solidarity.