The inclusion of international migrants in Brazilian healthcare system policies: the case of Haitians in the state of Amazonas

[The covid-19 pandemic and international mobility in Brazil: challenges for the health and social protection of international migrants in times of uncertainty]

The relationship between health and migration was severely affected during the covid-19 pandemic. This article discusses the literature on health and migration, including the deteriorating levels of social and economic vulnerability of international migrants to Brazil in 2020 and 2021. The analysis was based on a review of articles published in the national and international press addressing the impacts of covid-19 on contemporary processes of human mobility and its consequences for stigmatized populations. The results point to the possibility of understanding the pandemic as a key moment for rethinking nationality and borders.

[Barriers and facilitators to confronting HIV/aids and syphilis experienced by Venezuelan women living in BrazilFactores facilitadores y barreras que tienen las mujeres venezolanas residentes en Brasil respecto de la infección por el VIH/sida y la sífilis]

Objective

To describe the perception of Venezuelan women regarding access to health care, diagnosis, and treatment of HIV/aids and syphilis in Brazil.

Method

This is a descriptive, exploratory study employing a qualitative approach, performed from February to May 2021 in the municipalities of Manaus, state of Amazonas, and Boa Vista, state of Roraima. The interviews with participants were fully transcribed, with identification of themes based on content analysis.

Results

Forty women were interviewed (20 in Manaus and 20 in Boa Vista). Following transcription and translation of the accounts, two analytical categories were identified: barriers to healthcare access, with four subcategories - language, cost, adverse drug reactions, and COVID-19 pandemic; and facilitators of healthcare access, again with four subcategories - Unified Health System (SUS), National Policy of Comprehensive Women's Health, National Social Assistance Policy, and relationship between healthcare professionals and SUS users.

Conclusion

The results showed the need to design strategies to mitigate the difficulties faced by migrant women from Venezuela living in Brazil regarding the diagnosis and treatment of HIV/aids and syphilis, going beyond the healthcare support guaranteed by law.

[Infectious and parasitic diseases in Brazil, 2010 to 2017: considerations for surveillanceEnfermedades infecciosas y parasitarias en Brasil de 2010 a 2017: aspectos para la vigilancia sanitaria]

Objetivo.

Apresentar um método para identificar áreas críticas relativas a doenças infecciosas e parasitárias selecionadas para fins de vigilância em saúde, analisando a sua associação a indicadores de pobreza no Brasil.

Métodos.

Foram mapeadas as taxas de incidência de dengue, doença de Chagas aguda, esquistossomose, hanseníase, hepatite A, leishmaniose tegumentar, leishmaniose visceral, leptospirose, malária e tuberculose. Foram realizadas análises para os anos de 2010 a 2017 a partir de um indicador síntese, calculado como a média dos coeficientes médios de incidência para cada agravo normalizada pela média e desvio padrão durante o período analisado. A estimativa da base populacional foi de 2014. Os coeficientes calculados foram estratificados para classificação dos municípios em criticidade muito alta, alta, média, baixa ou muito baixa conforme cada doença. Também foram selecionados indicadores de diferentes dimensões que expressassem desigualdades socioeconômicas e segregação espacial nos municípios brasileiros, sendo testada a sua associação às doenças em estudo.

Resultados.

O indicador mostrou que 40,5% dos municípios brasileiros apresentam alta criticidade, sobretudo nas regiões Norte, parte do Nordeste e Centro-Oeste. Os indicadores “proporção de pobreza”, “lixo no entorno”, “esgoto no entorno” e “famílias chefiadas por mulheres” podem aumentar a chance de a localidade apresentar maior criticidade para as doenças. O indicador “esgoto adequado” pode ser considerado potencial fator de proteção.

Conclusões.

A técnica utilizada foi adequada para orientar ações de vigilância no país e permite a articulação entre vigilâncias locais e demais setores para contornar os problemas de saúde causados por doenças infecciosas e parasitárias e fatores relacionados.

O mapa da saúde e o regime de visibilidade contemporâneo

Resumo Este artigo analisa a articulação entre território, acesso e tecnologias em saúde. O objetivo é colocar em análise o mapa da saúde a partir da relação entre regime de visibilidade e tecnologias de vigilância em saúde. O percurso da reflexão apoia-se na problematização do georreferenciamento no campo da saúde para monitoramento e vigilância dos fluxos de circulação de pessoas no espaço urbano como estratégia biopolítica. A análise perpassa, portanto, a problematização de técnicas de mapeamento do campo da saúde para pensar formas de controle e regulação populacional como processos não naturais que permitem certas formas de articulação entre acesso, território e tecnologias em saúde. Deste modo, o artigo segue o itinerário: (1) analisa o território como um dos elementos que constituem um dispositivo no campo da saúde; (2) discute como a vigilância está implicada nas estratégias de mapeamento na saúde a partir dos primeiros mapas biossociais; (3) aborda a relação entre georreferenciamento e tecnologias de vigilância em saúde como estratégia biopolítica.

[The health of Haitian immigrant workers in Mato Grosso, Brazil: vulnerabilities and risks]

The relationships among immigration, health, work and environment are explored with the aim of analyzing the insertion of Haitian immigrants in the productive processes of Mato Grosso, highlighting health risks and socioenvironmental vulnerabilities. An action research study was carried out in conjunction with the Haitian community, social organizations and State institutions. In 2014 and 2015, a questionnaire was applied among the Haitian population of the city of Cuiabá (capital state of Mato Grosso) to characterize living and working conditions. In addition, data from different institutions and the registry of employers that submitted workers to conditions of modern-day slavery were analyzed. The results include 2,151 Haitian workers involved in the formal labor market in 2014, distributed in 27 municipalities of Mato Grosso. Two economic sectors in particular absorbed Haitian workers: transformative industries (especially meat processing plants) and civil construction. Among the 452 Haitians interviewed, 52.7% were working and 26.5% reported a workweek longer than 48 hours. The study shows the fragility of the social insertion of this population, expressed through the presence of Haitians in areas and productive processes of high social risk.

Discourse of nurses and doctors on the use of the emergency service by immigrants

Abstract Objective: To describe the discourse of nurses and physicians on the use of emergency services by immigrants. Method: Descriptive and exploratory study, with qualitative approach, carried out inan emergency public unit located at the north of Paraná. Sixteen health professionals were interviewed through a semi-structured questions. The interviews were audio-taped and their contents, after transcription, submitted to French discourse analysis. Results: It was identified, according to professionals, that immigrants seek emergency services mainly due to work-related problems, because they are unaware on how the Brazilian health system works and because they have difficulties to access other services. In addition, communication, cultural, professional, socioeconomic, and prejudice barriers were highlighted as influencing the care for the immigrant population. Conclusion and implications for practice: Given such findings, it is imperative to develop orientation and preparation activities for the immigrant population on the Brazilian culture and health system and health professionals regarding the cultural and socio-sanitary profile of the immigrant population, thus enhancing the adequate search of the users and the qualified care.

Use of health services by Haitian immigrants in Cuiabá-Mato Grosso, Brazil

This paper aims to analyze the use of health services by Haitian immigrants in Cuiabá, Mato Grosso. This is a cross-sectional study with a random sample of 452 Haitian immigrants in Cuiabá and Várzea Grande, interviewed between December 2014 and February 2015. Sociodemographic and health characteristics, lifestyle factors, and the use of health services were evaluated. Data analysis included Chi-square test and Poisson regression to investigate the factors associated with the use of health services. We found that 45.6% of respondents used some health service in Brazil, with a higher prevalence of use among women, those with higher income, longer residence time in Brazil, better understanding of the Portuguese language, and with poor self-reported health. The PHC Unit (UBS) and public urgent and emergency care were the primary services used. We conclude by saying that the SUS assisted the immigrants under the Brazilian constitutional principle of the right to health.

Imigração, refúgio e saúde: perspectivas de análise sociocultural

Resumo Os recentes processos migratórios internacionais ocorridos no Brasil se apresentam como um campo de estudo para as ciências sociais e humanas em saúde. Este artigo tem como objetivo refletir sobre os processos de inclusão de imigrantes e refugiados pelas instituições de saúde, considerando o campo de debates das ciências sociais e humanas em Saúde e o comprometimento dessa área com os direitos humanos. Inicialmente, são apresentadas características contemporâneas das migrações internacionais, incluindo a situação brasileira. Em seguida, são descritas algumas pesquisas e práticas sobre concepções de saúde, doenças e cuidados com imigrantes e, por fim, propomos um debate acerca de alguns conceitos antropológicos que podem contribuir para uma abordagem menos estereotipada dos processos de inclusão nas instituições de saúde nacionais. Pretendemos apresentar uma perspectiva das ciências sociais e humanas em saúde em um horizonte teórico articulado com práticas em saúde que, de certa forma, podem contribuir para a formulação de conceitos, explicações e orientações no plano das políticas públicas com essas populações.

Screening and evaluation of lymphatic filariasis in immigrants from endemic countries residing in a focus where it is considered eliminated in the Southern Region of Brazil: A risk of reemergence?

Lymphatic filariasis (LF) has been targeted by the World Health Organization for elimination by the year 2020. However, migration of infected individuals from areas where LF is endemic to areas considered non-endemic or foci for the control and elimination may jeopardize the achievement of this goal. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the occurrence of filarial infection by way of circulating filarial antigen (CFA) circulation using the point of care AD12-immunochromatography card (POC-ICT) among immigrants from Haiti residing in Chapecó, Santa Catarina, between May and October 2015. Of the 420 subjects examined, 77.4% were male, aged 19-54 years. Ten (2.38%) were POC-ICT positive. Of this total, one was not found. Two individuals were negative for Og4C3-ELISA and DNA/Wb-PCR in all biological samples, but positive for the anti-filarial antibody Bm14 and only one showed microfilaremia (1mf/mL). These findings point to the importance of the Brazilian surveillance action to reduce the possibility of reintroduction of LF in Chapecó, Santa Catarina, by infected immigrants, and to guarantee the success of the National LF Elimination Plan.

[Health workers' place in studies on international migratory processes and health]

Studies on the health-disease-healthcare process in immigrants settled in the city of São Paulo, Brazil, have revealed a complex web of relations in the demands by immigrants and the actions conceived and planned by health services. In this context, intermediation by health workers in the relationship between immigrants and researchers has constituted an important form of access by the latter to South American immigrants, especially Bolivians. During research, access to immigrants occurs within the context of health actions, facilitating the researchers' access to immigrants' homes, workplaces, and even associations. Understanding the processes of illness in immigrants within the complex web of relations among institutional health workers in organizational spaces shaped by models of thinking based on biomedicine led us to problematize the possibilities for an approach to subjects that comprise this universe.