The invisible frontline

Experiences of public health workers during the Covid-19 pandemic and health emergencies in Colombia

Bibliographic Data

ID22080937
AuthorsSandra Patricia Martínez-Cabeza (0000-0003-0625-3343, Universidad de los Andes, corresponding author), Sandra Martínez-Cabezas, Adriana Díaz Del Castillo (0000-0001-6689-0905, Universidad de los Andes), Johana Linares García (0000-0001-5401-4633, Universidad de los Andes), Johana Linares-García, Natalia Niño Machado (0000-0001-7887-9439, Universidad de los Andes), Natalia Niño-Machado, Alvaro J Idrovo (0000-0001-9579-1463, Industrial University of Santander), Myriam Ruiz-Rodríguez (0000-0002-8598-3354, Industrial University of Santander), Catalina González-Uribe (0000-0002-3322-5017, Universidad de los Andes, corresponding author)
Year2025
Volume13
Pages1589091-1589091
Publication date2025-07-11
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueFrontiers in Public Health (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 2296-2565 • E-ISSN: 2296-2565
PublisherFrontiers Media SA (PUBLISHER • CH)
DOI10.3389/fpubh.2025.1589091
PMID40717944
OpenAlexW4412184994
LanguageEN
Citations received1
References cited40

Background During the COVID-19 pandemic, frontline workers were widely recognized for their efforts, with an emphasis largely placed on clinical personnel providing individual care. However, public health workers, who played a critical role in managing the pandemic from a population wide perspective, received far less attention. This paper explores the experiences of public health frontline (PHF) workers in Colombia during the COVID-19 pandemic, highlighting their role in virus identification, surveillance, and guiding public health responses. Methods Using a qualitative approach with semi-structured interviews ( n = 83), we examine the challenges faced by the PHF, their strategies for adapting to the crisis, and the impact of the work overload they encountered. Results The structural conditions that influenced public health responses in Colombia, shedding light on the necessity of a robust public health workforce for emergency preparedness. All the work realized to respond from a collective health perspective was performed by a PHF who felt that they were invisible . This invisibility had to do with the precarious working conditions that predated the pandemic, but also with a sense of being undervalued or not publicly recognized and thanked for—as opposed to clinical healthcare workers—, since public health was not necessarily considered part of the “COVID frontline.” Conclusion The lack of a clear definition of the public health frontline during the pandemic rendered essential workers in this sector invisible, leading to less recognition compared to clinical healthcare staff and affecting their well-being, safety, and motivation

Disease · Health care · Pandemic · Political science · Preparedness · Public health · Public relations · Workforce · COVID-19 Digital Contact Tracing · Medicine · Nursing · Public Health Policies and Education · Viral Infections and Outbreaks Research