‘Suddenly, everything shut down’: Care network for Homeless Population in the COVID-19 pandemic

ABSTRACT

The COVID-19 pandemic has imposed itself in a acutely and dramatically way, particularly on politically and socially vulnerable groups, such as the homeless population (HP). The literature on health emergency and response and social care needs of the most vulnerable during the pandemic is scarce. This article describes the network of care for HP, including formally instituted pathways of care and those produced during the pandemic of COVID-19, in the city of Belo Horizonte. The methodological path used documentary analysis, technical visits to care services, in-depth interviews and focus groups with the care network stakeholders. The results showed that the network is composed of four components with intersections: the health network, the social care network, the ‘National Pastoral Care of the Homeless People’ (non-governmental organization) and the network created to care for people with respiratory symptoms. The workflow changes imposed by the pandemic resulted in access barriers in different centers offering care for HP. However, it was observed the potentiality of the integral care offer, through the connections built during the pandemic between health, social care, and the non-governmental organizations.

KEYWORDS
Social health inequalities; Homeless population; Intersectorial networks; COVID-19.