ABSTRACT

Objective:

To analyze the way of life of the unhoused people to enhance health care in the pandemic.

Methods:

A qualitative, interdisciplinary research, with participant observation and 24 interviews with the unhoused people. Empirical categories and bibliographic search on this population and COVID-19 guided simple actions aimed at care.

Results:

The group at greatest risk for COVID-19 use drugs compulsively; starves constantly; discontinues drug treatment for tuberculosis, HIV, and diabetes; has underdiagnosis of Depression; has difficulty sheltering and uses inhaled drugs. This way of life increases the risk of worsening COVID-19 and brings great challenges to health services. Several proposals to guide care considered these results and the new routine caused by the pandemic.

Final considerations:

The way of life of the studied population increased their vulnerability in the pandemic, as well as the perception of risk of disease transmission by the population in general.

Descriptors
Homeless Persons; Coronavirus Infections; Social Vulnerability; Primary Health Care; Life Style