Living near health at Belo Horizonte

Abstract

TThe definition of spatial units as the preferential locus for healthcare provision is a challenging task when we seek healthcare models that humanize the health services and reduce inequities concerning access to them, integrating demographic, socioeconomic, cultural and environmental data, and configuring the social determinants of health at a local level. This study analyzes the location of Primary Care Units (PCU) in the Health Districts of the city of Belo Horizonte, and compares the adopted administrative divisions with those obtained by mapping the influence of shorter distances to the PCU. It demonstrates the potential that further research on the city’s territory has in the search for better locations and access to the PCU, enriching the debate on the future of Urban Health in Brazil.

spatial analysis; urban space; urban health; access to healthcare; Brazil’s National Healthcare System