The health care of people living in the streets: Possibilities and challenges

Abstract

People living in the streets (PLS) have been historically neglected by the public policy in Brazil, a changing reality in the past few years. Reports about the health care provided to the PLS were investigated through a literature review of Brazilian scientific papers, highlighting opportunities and challenges. The analysis of selected studies indicates that street outreach teams (SOT) seek a comprehensive health care to the PLS, relying on the constitution of bonds and territorial immersion. Avoiding repression, training of professionals, consolidating of intersectoriality and improving the health care quality are the main challenges towards a comprehensive health care approach. SOT teams are important both to the health care and the human rights of PLS. However, it is not discussed the health care provided in the absence of SOT that occurs in small and mid-sized cities.