This brief highlights findings from an online survey of 1,263 health workers within Brazil’s national health system during the COVID-19 pandemic. The survey findings show how race and gender intersect, shaping the experiences of health workers. Overall, Black women received the least resources and institutional support, while facing the greatest mental health impacts and instances of workplace harassment. Racial inequalities tend to be more pronounced than gender inequalities, especially with regard to access to resources. For example, Black men reported having less access to personal protective equipment (PPE) compared to White women. These findings highlight the critical need for measures to support healthcare workers that account for both race and gender.

Gender and race: Experiences of health workers in Brazil during COVID-19