Adult homeless people in the central area of the city of São Paulo and the vulnerability to sexually transmissible diseases and HIV: a descriptive study

Abstract

Health care for homeless people has been a challenge, especially in the central areas of the metropolitan regions of Brazil. The Health Center School Barra Funda
(Centro de Saúde Escola Barra Funda – CSEBF-AV), Primary Attention Health unit of the central area of São Paulo, prepared a study to verify the conditions that
raise the vulnerability to sexually transmissible diseases of this population. The aim was to investigate the knowledge, attitudes and practices related to the STD/
HIV of the homeless people who attend the CSEBF-AV. This is a transversal study verified during the stay of the users at the services. From the total of the interviewees, 31.9% reported not having used condoms for the last six months. It was identified that individuals with less years of study, the oldest, those who reported a lower number of partners in the last six months and those who believed that HIV could not be transmitted by sexual relations with apparently healthy people were the ones that showed less frequency in the use of condoms. The social vulnerability was identified, because those who had less years of study were the ones to whom the use of condoms was less frequent. The access to health services, the use of condoms and the percentage of those who underwent HIV testing possibly reflected a low programmatic vulnerability. Some beliefs remain, such as the protection against HIV could be possible when sexual relations are with good appeared or apparently good healthy people.