Assisting Homeless Women in a City in Brazil during the COVID-19 Pandemic in the Context of a Street Outreach Office: The Perceptions of Health Professionals

Nayara Gonçalves Barbosa (), Hellen Aparecida de Azevedo Pereira, Marcelo Vinicius Domingos Rodrigues dos Santos, Lise Maria Carvalho Mendes, Flávia Azevedo Gomes-Sponholz and Juliana Cristina dos Santos Monteiro
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Nayara Gonçalves Barbosa: Department of Maternal-Child Nursing and Public Health, Faculty of Nursing, Federal University of Juiz de Fora, Juiz de Fora 36036-900, Brazil
Hellen Aparecida de Azevedo Pereira: Public Health Nursing Post-Graduate Program, University of São Paulo at Ribeirão Preto College of Nursing, Ribeirão Preto 14040-902, Brazil
Marcelo Vinicius Domingos Rodrigues dos Santos: Public Health Nursing Post-Graduate Program, University of São Paulo at Ribeirão Preto College of Nursing, Ribeirão Preto 14040-902, Brazil
Lise Maria Carvalho Mendes: Public Health Nursing Post-Graduate Program, University of São Paulo at Ribeirão Preto College of Nursing, Ribeirão Preto 14040-902, Brazil
Flávia Azevedo Gomes-Sponholz: Department of Maternal-Child Nursing and Public Health, University of São Paulo at Ribeirão Preto College of Nursing, Ribeirão Preto 14040-902, Brazil
Juliana Cristina dos Santos Monteiro: Department of Maternal-Child Nursing and Public Health, University of São Paulo at Ribeirão Preto College of Nursing, Ribeirão Preto 14040-902, Brazil

IJERPH, 2023, vol. 20, issue 2, 1-10

Abstract: This study aimed to understand the perception of Street Outreach Office professionals regarding the health care offered to homeless women during the COVID-19 pandemic. This is a qualitative and descriptive study developed with nine health professionals of a Street Outreach Office team from a large city in the countryside of São Paulo State (Brazil) from December 2020 to April 2021. Data were obtained through interviews using a semi-structured script with questions about care practices directed to homeless women. The data were analyzed according to content analysis in the thematic modality. Two thematic categories were identified: (i) the reorganization of the Street Outreach Office to meet the demands of the population and (ii) the challenges in caring for homeless women during the pandemic. The activities were intensified with the team’s expansion and distribution of supplies such as masks and alcohol-based hand sanitizers. Our findings showed that the primary problem faced was pregnancy during the pandemic. The lack of material and structural resources and social apparatus to care for homeless women was also evidenced. It was possible to conclude that even with all the adversities, the professionals employed creative strategies, contributing, within their limitations, to the care of homeless women.

Keywords: homeless people; pandemic; COVID-19; gender inequality; women’s health (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
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