Access to health care for people experiencing homelessness on Avenida Paulista: barriers and perceptions

Abstract

Objective: To describe the perceptions of homeless people on Avenida Paulista in the city of São Paulo regarding access to health devices in the region. Method: This is a qualitative research conducted with 10 people who were homeless on Avenida Paulista in January 2019. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews, and analysis of the findings was made using hermeneutics-dialectics. Two categories of results were created: Health services accessed in the region by homeless people; Barriers to health access faced by homeless people on Avenida Paulista, São Paulo. This study obtained ethical approval. Results: Seeking emergency services occurs as the main gateway for homeless people in the region, and among the barriers faced, prejudice is placed as the main phenomenon. Conclusion: It is necessary to consider the specificities of this population, understand their conceptions of health-disease and their trajectories so that services can be improved and access to health for this vulnerable and growing group can be guaranteed.