Representations and Social Anchorages of the New Coronavirus and the COVID-19 Treatment by Brazilians

Abstract

This study aimed to apprehend the genesis of the Social Representations (SR) of the new coronavirus, as well as the COVID-19 treatment, considering different social anchors of Brazilians. For that, 595 participants, predominantly female (69.9%) and from the Northeast of Brazil (64.9%) answered an online questionnaire. The data collected allowed analyzes of Descending Hierarchical Classifications, indicating that the new coronavirus SR's genesis is marked by concerns regarding its dissemination, psychosocial and affective implications. On the other hand, the treatment representational field emphasizes the remission or alleviation of symptoms caused by COVID-19. The SR variations identified in this research, due to group differences, indicate that future interventions should consider their specificities in the representations and social practices dissemination aiming at containing the pandemic state.