Street Medical Consultation: a care model for homeless people in Brazil
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1
Federal University of São Carlos (UFSCar), São Carlos, Brazil
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Universidade Federal de São Carlos, São Carlos, Brazil
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Faculdade de Engenharia de Sorocaba (Facens), Sorocaba, Brazil
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UFSCar, São Carlos, Brazil
Publication date: 2023-04-27
Popul. Med. 2023;5(Supplement):A878
ABSTRACT
Background: The homeless population presents highly vulnerable to illness, requiring health services that articulates their practices and guarantees them a full-time care through public policies and actions that responds to their real needs. Brazil has a specific health service for the homeless population care, the Street Medical Consultation. Census carried out in 2022 in São Paulo, the largest city in the country, revealed 31884 people living on streets, an increase of 31% compared to 2019, which showed 24334 people living on streets. Aim: to presents the experience of professionals from health field, who works in the teams of the Street Medical Consultation, regarding the care of homeless population in the city of São Paulo, Brazil. Methods: Qualitative study from a descriptive nature, professional experience report type, with a cross-sectional time frame. Results: The care model used by the teams of Street Medical Consultation makes it possible to carry out “in loco” all actions provided for in primary care; therefore, accurate knowledge of the territory was highlighted; ability to build bonds, which are fundamental for adherence to treatment; performance of clinical and epidemiological diagnoses; team action planning; intersectoral network articulation; tracking performance, procedures, treatments, and complete care. Conclusions: Street Medical Consultation teams promotes individual and collective actions in a dynamic, strategic, creative, and empathetic way, thus, contribute strongly to guarantee access to health services, complete care, expanding the possibilities of chronic and infectious diseases early detection and monitoring from homeless population, promoting healing and social reintegration.