Access to health and social protection policies by homeless people during the COVID-19 pandemic: a mixed-methods case study on tailored inter-sector care during a health emergency.

Introduction: The article analyzed homeless people's (HP) access to health and social protection policies and tailored inter-sector care, including emergency measures, during the COVID-19 pandemic in Belo Horizonte (BH), capital of Minas Gerais state, Brazil. It intended to provide data on HP and evaluate existing public policies focused on vulnerable populations during this health emergency. Methods: The study adopted a mixed-methods design with triangulation of quantitative and qualitative data. Results: Social cartography showed that in the early months of the pandemic, the health administration had difficulty reordering the health system, which experienced constant updates in the protocols but was nevertheless consolidated over the months. The evidence collected in the study showed that important emergency interventions in the municipality of BH involved activities that facilitated access by HP to the supply of services. Discussion: The existence of national guidelines for inter-sector care for HP cannot be ruled out as a positive influence, although the municipalities are responsible for their implementation. Significantly, a health emergency was necessary to intensify the relationship between health and social protection services. Roving services were among those with the greatest positive evidence, with the least need for infrastructure to be replicated at the local level. In addition, the temporary supply of various inter-sector services, simultaneously with the provision of day shelters by organized civil society, was considered a key factor for expanding and intensifying networks of care for HP during the emergency phase. A plan exists to continue and expand this model in the future. The study concluded that understanding the inter-sector variables that impact HP contributes to better targeting of investments in interventions that work at the root causes of these issues or that increase the effectiveness of health and social protection systems.

População em situação de rua: comunicação e (des)informação no contexto da pandemia de Covid-19 / The homeless population: communication and (dis)information in the context of the Covid-19 pandemic / Población que vive en la calle: comunicación y (des)información en el contexto de la pandemia de Covid-19

O estudo objetivou identificar os sentidos produzidos pela comunicação dirigida à população em situação de rua (PSR) durante a pandemia de Covid-19 na cidade de Belo Horizonte. Por meio da técnica de análise de conteúdo, analisaram-se 48 entrevistas realizadas com a PSR; gestores e trabalhadores do Sistema Único de Saúde e do Sistema Único de Assistência Social; e representantes da Pastoral do Povo da Rua e da Defensoria Pública. Cinco temáticas identificadas respaldam os resultados e a discussão: pandemia e seu surgimento; fechamento da cidade e consequências para PSR; desinformação e reprodução de estigmas; desinformação e vacinação; e infodemia. Os resultados indicaram que a comunicação relacionada à pandemia foi considerada como fator de menor importância no planejamento público, ocasionando impacto negativo no enfrentamento social da doença. Destaca-se a importância de estratégias de comunicação públicas, inclusivas, dialógicas - com identificação e escuta dos grupos populacionais vulneráveis - e adaptadas às suas necessidades.(AU)

This study aimed to identify meanings produced by communication directed at the homeless population during the Covid-19 pandemic in Belo Horizonte. Forty-eight interviews with homeless people, Brazilian National Health System and Brazilian National Social Assistance System managers and workers, and representatives of the Pastoral Ministry for the Homeless and Public Defender's Office were analyzed using content analysis. The results and discussion are structured around five core themes: the pandemic and its onset; closure of the city and the consequences for homeless people; disinformation and reproduction of stigmas; disinformation and vaccination; and the infodemic. The results suggest that communication related to the pandemic was seen as a minor factor in public planning that negatively impacted coping with the disease. The findings highlight the importance of identifying and listening to vulnerable groups and promoting inclusive and dialogical public communication strategies tailored to their specific needs.(AU)

El objetivo del estudio fue identificar los sentidos producidos por la comunicación dirigida a la Población que Vive en la Calle (PSR) durante la pandemia de Covid-19 en la ciudad de Belo Horizonte. Por medio de la técnica de análisis de contenido se analizaron 48 entrevistas realizadas con esa población, gestores y trabajadores del Sistema Brasileño de Salud y Sistema Brasileño de Asistencia Social, representantes de la Pastoral de la Población que vive en la Calle y la Defensoría Pública. Cinco temáticas identificadas respaldan los resultados y la discusión: la pandemia y su aparición; cierre de la ciudad y consecuencias para la Población que vive en la Calle; desinformación y reproducción de estigmas; desinformación y vacunación; e infodemia. Los resultados indicaron que la comunicación relacionada con la pandemia se consideró como factor de menor importancia en la planificación pública, ocasionando impacto negativo en el enfrentamiento social de la enfermedad. Se destaca la importancia de estrategias de comunicación públicas, incluyentes y dialógicas, con identificación y escucha de los grupos poblacionales vulnerables y adaptadas a sus necesidades.(AU)